Music is Magic
by Wowi'mactuallydoingthis
Summary: I really don't know what Dumbledore was thinking. Leaving a toddler on a doorstep. He could just get up a walk away and find another person to take care of him. Someone who isn't abusive and ignites a young passion for music. Wait... That sounds pretty good.
1. The boy who wandered off

"Good luck, Harry," Dumbledore murmured, before he disappeared into the night...

Good job, Dumbledore.

You just left a toddler on a doorstep, in November, or, well, soon to be November.

The toddler stirred, the freezing air and new trauma rousing him. Jolting from his nightmare, he began to cry.

"Urrrr. Someone needs to shut their baby up," grumbled a half asleep Petunia, pulling the covers over her head.

"Awful parents, bringing their baby with them on a night out," agreed a mostly asleep Vernon.

"WAAAAA!" Screeched Dudley a few minutes later. Vernon ground his teeth while Petunia rushed to her little Dudders.

Harry, frightened even more by the sound of wailing, wrestled with the blankets until he finally broke free of the swaddle. He ran- er- toddled, as far away as he could, tears streaming down his face.

Back on the doorstep, the letter and blanket flew away in the wind, there was no evidence of him ever being there.

[PAGE BREAK]

Abby was coping.

She had finally gained good paying job and had moved out of her parents' house. They had been so proud of her and she was glad for the space. She never knew what to think of her mother, the small woman was very conflicting and backwards in Abby's opinion, she used to feel bad about thinking that, but not any more. Her dad reminded her of herself, and she was proud that she had succeeded where he had not. She loved them both and she would visit them.

She had been living with her parents after she lost her last job and had a painful break with her long term boyfriend, he left her at the alter.

"I told you he was no good," her mother had said, but she had never said anything of the sort.

Her dad was awkward as always, he didn't really do feelings. He hugged her and said he would always be there for her. Her mother promptly joined in and said the same, she believed them both.

She was taking the long way back to her apartment after a party, enjoying the cold air, when she heard a sound: crying; a child crying.

She ran to a phone booth across the road and called the police, always cautious. She'd heard too many horror stories of all kinds of things being used as bait. She stood there in the cold, waiting for the police, watching to see if it was a child, ready to bolt at any point. When, suddenly, a child did indeed wander out of a nearby bush. He rubbed his eyes and looked up at the lady who had knelt before him. He didn't know who she was, and tried to run the other way.

"Dada!" He sobbed, and was hoisted up into the air and held close to the stranger's chest.

"It's okay, it's okay," she hushed as the boy cried. "You said dada. Where's your dada?" She asked softly, looking into the greenest eyes she'd ever seen. This only seemed to worsen the boy, he burst into hysterical tears. She carried him over to a bench and rubbed his back, singing softly to him. Eventually he was reduced to slow hiccups, then he fell asleep in Abby's arms. She spotted a weird shaped scar on his forehead, as if someone had carved it into his skull. She closed her eyes in horror.

The police arrived.

The authorities searched everywhere but they couldn't find the boy's parents (Mrs Figgs' cats just happened to tear up the newspaper that day). They assumed he was abandoned and had him sent to a orphanage.

Not on Abby's watch. She adopted the boy she had found on the street and planned to raise him as her very own. She had no idea what brought her to do it. Loneliness? The fact that the boy felt special to her somehow, or that ever since she found he she felt responsible for him.

She had kept him company at the police station and everywhere they wanted to move him, she couldn't just leave him, that felt heartless. When the out come had been announced she had realised just how attached she had become to the little angel. She had swept him up and took him home.

To say her parents were surprised would be an understatement.

"We kept reminding you about being safe to avoid babies, and now you've just gone and gotten one!"

They warmed to the little tyke quickly and were thrilled about being grandparents. The boy hadn't known his name, he was probably only one after all. Abby thought long and hard about what to name him, but she could never think of the right name. Her mum suggested loads of names, name after name after name but none of them felt right. She lost sleep over it, but her dad always knew how to make her feel better:

"Sing for me?"

"...Okay, dad."

He started to play familiar notes on one of his many guitars, she loved this song.

"Hey, Jude.

Don't make it bad.

Sing a sad song, and make it better.

Remember to let her into to your heart, then you can start, to make it better."

And she knew.

She had a wonderful son, and his name was Jude.


	2. A letter

Jude had nightmares.

And I'm not talking small scares about monsters under the bed that you can just hug away.

He had nightmares that left him pulling at his little tuffs of hair in fright, nightmares that made him wail for hours and hours even when Abby was holding him close. Nightmares that made him pale and sick and took years off his life.

Abby couldn't possibly imagine what he had been through to get like this, she didn't want to imagine. Her baby boy was suffering and she couldn't do anything about it. She had started taking him to therapy, but all he could do was draw and play with the psychologist due to the fact that he couldn't say many words at all, it was expected at his age.

Her eyes shot open as she heard Jude screaming again. 'The neighbours must hate us,' she thought.

Abby hurried to his room; newly furnished with a cot, bookshelf, wardrobe and toy chest. The walls were painted a calming blue. She lifted her poor son from the cot and held him close, doing the only thing she knew how to do:

She sang. Just like she had done countless nights before, and would for countless nights to come. She rocked him and sang:

"Ba, ba black sheep, have you any wool?

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Three bags full.

One for the master and one for the maid,

And one for the little boy who lives down the lane."

She repeated this several times, like she had done night after night with any old nursery rhyme or song she could think of. This one seemed to be one of his favourites, he calmed down a little bit quicker.

Her mouth was getting dry after the fourth repeat, she paused to swallow seeing that Jude was only sniffling now. When:

"Ba, ba back beep, ha you any wul."

She couldn't believe it.

"Es, sir. Es, sir. Tree bads bull."

She started to laugh, Jude stopped singing, she hugged him close.

She didn't think she sung to him that much. A full tune before he could make a sentence, it was amazing.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude was a smart young man.

He had lots of friends in primary school and outside it, he prided himself on that. As his mother says, 'no one can do anything alone, and a stranger is just a friends you haven't made yet.'

Except stranger danger, he remembered her adding. That's bad.

Jude was quiet unless spoken to, or if he had something to say, or to sing. That's how he was known. He was also the most pacifist person you've ever met. He sobbed over stepping on a bug and accidentally head butting one of his friends. All life is precious and violence is never the answer, as his mum says.

He was in the choir and loved every minute of it. When not in the choir he was watching musicals or playing the guitar that his granddad gave him when he was six. He also dabbled in piano as his mum had given him a few lessons when he wanted them, but he didn't like it as much as his guitar.

Everybody was on friendly terms with him, he'd had a few run ins with bullies, but no one could resist the power of friendship!

Dudley really was a dumb bully, he felt sorry for anyone who had his genes, they probably didn't know what 2 + 2 was, but he was a nice friend when he tried.

It was the summer holidays after the last year of primary school. He was excited about going to high school, but he was going to miss all of his school friends that aren't going to the same one as him. He was going to a local place called Gildford high school, he hadn't seen inside but it looked okay from the outside.

He was currently playing Pac Man on the NES system his mum had bought him for Christmas when he heard his mum shout.

"Jude! There's a letter here for you!"

"Coming, mum!"

It was probably Tom, Jude's best friend. He loved to send letters in code, it made him feel like a secret agent. Jude had fun deciphering them.

He paused his game and headed to the kitchen, where his mum was sitting with the mail. She handed him his letter with a smile and they sat down for cereal.

It was a yellowish envelope that felt heavy when compared with other letters. On the front in green ink that seemed to sparkle was:

Mr J. Day

The Largest Bedroom

49 Longing street

Little Whinging

Surrey

"That's very odd. It doesn't have a stamp, not to mention that address line," said mum, looking it over.

Jude pulled it open, it didn't rip easily like most other envelopes, and pulled out the parchment. He read it out loud to his mum:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr Day,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We understand that this may come as a surprise and will visit you on the 10th of July at 2 o'clock to prove magic is real so you can make a decision as to whether you wish to attend. If this date or time is unsuitable, please send an owl. Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

A million things rushed through Judge's head: magic is real? There's a school to learn it? I'm a wizard? When he finally had some level of cognitive control, he looked to his mum and said:

"Owl?"

Just then, they heard a tap on the window. A small tawny owl was staring at them. Abby had almost laughed at the letter, then frowned when they said they would come and visit. Now looking out of her window, she gaped.

"Mum?" Said Jude. The look on her face concerned him.

"This can't be real," she laughed, "sorry to rain on your parade, Jude-"

"But there's an owl here!" Jude pointed at the window. The owl looked like it had been caught in the headlights and jumped back slightly.

"People can train owls, Jude. This is probably just a practical joke, please don't get your hopes up."

Jude looked down. "But it makes so much sense, Mum. Remember when I ended up on that roof? Or when Miss Davidson's hair went crazy colours? Or when my hair grew back over night?! What about the snake! Even you couldn't explain that."

Against everything Abby had been told, she admitted that it did make sense. Jude had told her that he had done that to his teachers hair but didn't know how he did. She almost had a fit at the zoo when her baby boy was making hissing sounds that sounded way too real. He got the snake to do what he wanted it to, she had just categorised it as something she couldn't explain and tried to forget about it as best she could.

'Oh. My son could be magic,' she thought.

Shaking her head, she gestured to the owl.

"Write a thank you note and that we accept. Give it to the owl." Jude lit up. Anything for her little gentleman. She laughed as he wrote.

"Did you really think we weren't going to accept? Even if it isn't real, we still get a free magic show."

Jude laughed, opened the window, and handed the owl the note. He was rather proud of it, it had been done in his best hand-writing.

Jude sat down as the owl flew off and poured himself some cereal.

"When is your birthday going to be this year?" Abby asked.

When Abby had taken Jude to the child psychologist, he had told her that Jude had the mental skills of a 15 month old. She had worked backwards and found that Judge's birthday was either late July or early August, she hadn't had a need to solidify a day, so Jude picks his birthday every year.

"I was thinking the 3rd of August so me a Joey can have a joint party."

"That sounds nice. Did she agree?"

"Yeah, she said it was a great idea."

"I'll call her dad later then."

Jude lifted the letter up to read again. He still couldn't believe it. He snorted.

"What?" Asked mum.

"Mugwump sounds like a funny insult," he laughed.

[PAGE BREAK]

At Hogwarts, it had been nine years since Dumbledore realised Harry Potter was missing.

His heart ached at the wrong he had done the boy, just after his parent's deaths as well. He would never forgive himself. He only hoped that Harry had got his letter and would come on the first of September, then he could begin to try and make right what he had done wrong.

If Harry didn't come. He didn't know what he would do with himself.

Dumbledore held his face in his hands in misery. He never stopped thinking about what could have happened to Harry. He was a fool, leaving a baby on the doorstep, anyone could have taken him!

Fawks trilled a Phoenix song from his perch. Dumbledore felt calmer. There was no use moping, he had to tend to his duties.

"Thank you, Fawkes," he said, his eyes twinkling, as he went to check on Minerva.

McGonagall knew what Dumbledore wanted to know as he entered the room. She locked eyes with him, holding a list of all the sent letters. Regret and tears were clear in her gaze. She braced herself, then shook her head.

Dumbledore cried.


	3. Alive

Abby crept into her son's room. He had stayed up late last night playing games and then probably couldn't sleep because of today. She had let him sleep in, it was now midday, and time to get up.

His room was very different to the dingy one he had had in their old apartment. The walls were still painted a calming blue but it was all covered by posters. Posters of bands, poster of musicals, posters of games. All of the walls were coated, including some of the ceiling. He had all the things he had in his old room (minus the cot) plus; a computer, a desk, a bed side table, a CD player/radio and a record player. His guitar sat in it's case by his desk.

She took a moment to view her sleeping son, his dark hair was tussled and contrasted with the white sheets. She wondered what today would hold for him.

With that, she walked over to his CD player, turned the volume up all the way and turned it on.

Slade started blasting through the speakers as she turned the light on. Jude groaned and wrapped the covers over his head.

"Come on, Jude. Up. Today's the day," she spoke loudly over the music. When Jude realised what she meant he instantly pulled himself out of bed and put his glasses on.

"What time is it?"

"Lunch time. Or brunch time for you," she smiled.

"I'll be right downstairs, just let me get dressed."

"You got it."

[PAGE BREAK]

Professor McGonagall was still grieving. Lilly and James' little boy was gone because of their mistake. She should have talked Albus out of it, they were the worse kind of muggles, surely there had to have been someone else. She should have fought but she didn't. It was her fault Harry was dead.

She stifled the tears threatening to brim as she moved onto the next muggleborn's house. A young man called Jude Day in Surry was her next possible student. She didn't want to seem unprofessional. She apparated from outside the Granger's house when she was sure no one was watching. Miss Granger was a smart girl, McGonagall looked forward to teaching her. That was a nice thing to take her mind off of unwanted thoughts.

She touched down with practised grace and walked towards the house like a woman on a mission. Three knocks on the door and she waited. Inside she could here a young boy making a fuss.

"She's here! Mum, she's here!" McGonagall allowed herself one of her rare smiles.

Abby opened the door. Standing there was a very stern looking woman in a long, soft looking, black cloak. She wore square spectacles and her silver hair was tied up in a tight bun on top of her head. She seemed to radiate importance.

"Good afternoon," she began, "I am professor McGonagall, deputy head of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. May I come in?"

"Yes, of course," said Abby, "can I get you something to drink?"

"No, thank you, Mrs Day?"

"Miss Day," Abby corrected.

"Miss Day. Where is young Mr Day?"

"I'm here," said Jude, taking a step into the room. He seemed in awe of the presence in front of him. A real live witch. Abby looked to McGonagall. She looked like she'd just seen a ghost.

'A tiny James,' thought McGonagall. She couldn't believe her eyes. She didn't know how long she had been staring at him, but young James looked uncomfortable. Someone was calling to her in the distance.

"-McGonagall? Professor McGonagall? Are you okay? You look pale," asked a concerned Miss Day, waving her hand in her face.

"Y-yes, yes. I'm quite alright, thank you," she breathed. "Can I just... Can I ask? Is Mr Day adopted?"

This caught Abby off guard.

Of course Jude knows he's adopted, but no one ever asked. Coincidentally, Jude and her looked quite similar. They both had green eyes and glasses, they both had wild hair and they both loved music. No one ever questioned that Jude was her son.

"Yes I am," said Jude, "what about it?"

"Mr Day?" McGonagall started, visibly shaking, "could you pull back your hair for me?"

Jude did so. McGonagall almost fainted.

In a moment of impulsivness, she shot off her patronus with a message for Albus to get to the Day house-hold ASAP.

Jude and Abby stood in awe.

"Wow! What was that glowing cat?" Asked Jude. McGonagall fought to retain her professionalism.

"That was my patronus, it takes a different form from person to person depending on your personality and a few other forces. It is a very high level spell that most adult witches and wizards struggle with."

"Amazing! Where did it go?"

"It's delivering a message for me, we should have a visitor soo-" there was a knock at the door.

McGonagall opened it. There stood a very old man with a long white beard in florescent orange robes.

"Whatever is the matter, Minerva?" He sounded sad.

"You should see for yourself."

Jude, seeing the man as McGonagall stepped aside, was about to laugh at his horribly bright clothes, when he was trapped by disbelieving eyes.

"It's him, Albus."

Dumbledore seemed to take off. Before Jude knew what was happening, he was in the old man's arms.

"Oh, my boy. I'm so, so, so sorry. I should have protected you better."

Jude didn't know what to do. This man and woman clearly knew him at some point, but he didn't remember them, but the man says he's sorry for something. This man must have wronged him somehow.

Jude thought back to what his mother had told him about when she found him. He was terrified, cold and alone. This man probably had something to do with that.

But it was okay now. He had a great mum and happy memories. This man clearly cared about him.

Mind made up, Jude hugged him back. "It's okay. Whatever you did, I forgive you. People make mistakes, just make sure you learn from them."

Dumbledore held him tighter and laughed a watery laugh. Then he lightly pushed him to arms length and collected himself. "Apologies, I let my emotions get the better of me. I am Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts."

Jude held out his hand like his mum had taught him to do. "I'm Jude Day. Nice to meet you." Dumbledore took his hand with both of his and shook it enthusiastically.

"That explains it, a different name. It's very nice to meet you, Jude. A suppose you deserve an explanation."

"That would be best," said Abby, eyeing the old man who had been man-handling her boy.

[PAGE BREAK]

"YOU LEFT MY BABY ON A DOORSTEP?!"

Dumbledore and McGonagall hung their heads in shame.

Jude had to admit, that was a pretty stupid thing to do, but he still forgave them. They honestly thought they were doing what was best.

"I thought it would be best if Petunia found him without any wizards around, she hates them."

"And this is the best person you decided to leave a wizard with!?"

"We needed him to live with his own blood so that the protection spell would work. You-know-who's followers could have been on his tail-"

"And found him on the doorstep! Just up for grabs! You're lucky he's not dead!"

"Mum? They're sorry. They admitted they did a stupid thing, can we just go back to talking about why everyone thinks Harry Potter is famous?"

"You are famous, my dear boy. You are the boy-who-lived."

"No! I'm sorry Professor, but I'm not Harry Potter. I'm Jude Day, I have been for almost my whole life. If I go to your school, I want be know as Jude and no one will know who I was as a baby and what I supposedly did. Fame goes to people heads, it changes you. I don't want that yet. Not until I'm older. Please."

At that moment Dumbledore knew that H- Jude had been raised in a better way than he ever could have. He was wise for his age.

"Very well. No one will know you were Harry Potter apart from the people who figure it out," he winked. "You'll have to hide that scar."

"I know."

They sat in silence for a few seconds until Dumbledore spoke again.

"You look so much like your father, Jude. It's scary almost. You're even wearing the same type of glasses he wore."

Jude smiled. "I picked these glasses because they're the same as John Lennon's."

"Who's John Lennon?"

Before Jude could explode, Abby reminded them that McGonagall was here to show Jude some magic. Dumbledore agreed and got up, saying goodbye.

He handed a key to McGonagall from inside his robes, then left feeling lighter than he had in years.

McGonagall showed him some transfiguartion by turning the coffee table into a pig and then back again. Jude asked about his classes and the school in general ("A castle!? Wow!"). Abby asked about what jobs Jude could gain by the end of his education and she was rather impressed with the options, although maybe it was the fact that she was as giddy as a school girl about the concept of magic being real.

By the end of the discussion, Jude was sold and Abby was convinced, as long as Jude let her tutor him maths and English ("Only level one maths and English? That's absurd, how does your society function?"). McGonagall offered to take them with the rest of the muggleborn kids and their parents to diagon ally to get school supplies.

Abby politely declined and asked for directions and a list of school supplies. She had a certified wizard with her and she didn't need anyone obstructing her shopping time. McGonagall gave Jude a small key, telling his that it was the key to the vault his parent's had left him in gringotts. Jude was thrilled that his biological wizard parents had apparently left him stuff and said it would be their first stop on diagon ally.

With that, McGonagall left. Jude and Abby watched her walk down the drive, until Jude remembered something.

"Wait! Professor!"

"Yes, Mr Day?"

"Do you know when my birthday is?"

McGonagall smiled again. "31st of July, 1980." She disappeared with a pop.

Jude looked up to his mum, "Looks like I'm not having a joint birthday date with Joey."

[FINAL BREAK]

Thanks to guest for pointing out what was wrong with this chapter.


	4. A true birthday

The 31st rolled around quickly.

Jude was still going to have a joint birthday party with Joey on her birthday, but he insisted that he celebrate on his own birthday too.

"Happy birthday to you," came three voices accompanied by grandad's guitar.

"Happy birthday to you," mum was walking in with a chocolate cake, the candles lit.

"Happy birthday dear Judeeee," nan had her camera up, ready to take a photo.

"Happy birthday toooooo youuuuuu." Jude laughed as grandad harmonised with mum and nan, then he finished the song with some violent ending strumming, slowing in speed, then one final strum. Jude blew out the candles as the picture was taken.

"Hip, hip!"

"Hooray!"

"Hip, hip?"

"Hooray!"

"Hip, Hip!"

"Hooray!"

Jude started pulling out the candles, he was ready for some cake. It looked amazing, mum had made it. Well... it had come from a box but it still counts! It had eleven multi-coloured candles in a circle, the outside was decorated with chocolate buttons. Jude was determined to have the biggest piece and get a massive sugar high.

"Move out the way, big knife coming through," said nan. She asked how big of a piece Jude wanted; he held his arms out as wide as they would go. She cut him about a quarter of the cake, Jude grinned.

"Mum what are you doing? He can't eat all that."

"It's his birthday and his cake, who cares?"

'Nan's great,' Jude thought as he took a massive bite.

Almost half an hour later, Jude's face was on the table, a very small fraction of the cake left next to him.

"You should stop now before you make yourself sick, matey," said grandad.

"I honestly can't believe you consumed that much, you've done well. Stop while you're ahead," said mum.

Jude mumbled something that sounded vaguely like an 'okay'.

"Come on kid," mum continued, "time for presents."

Judge's stomach ache was suddenly forgotten as he rushed into the living room. Nan was already sitting there with two large, rectangular packages and a gift bag.

"I hope you don't mind Jude; this year we decided to get you two big presents and then some small goodies," said nan.

"Of course I don't mind," replied Jude, "thank you for getting me presents."

"Of course, chick. It's what we do," she smiled, sitting down with her camera.

As Jude tore through the gift bag of small presents, Abby couldn't help but wonder once again what would have happened if Jude had stayed on the doorstep. Could his relatives have given him a better childhood? They knew his parent's after all. She shook her head, Jude probably would have had an equally great childhood with his relatives as he did here, that was in the past, it didn't matter now.

A small pile was being built beside Jude. It consisted of a new video game, some CD's, stationary for school, lots of sweets and some new cards for his top trumps collection. He then moved on to the two big presents.

"Which one should I open first?" He asked.

"Save the best for last. Open the smaller one," grandad said excitedly.

The smaller rectangle was rapped in blue wrapping paper with bubbles on it, you could probably fit about ten of them in the bigger package. Tearing the blue away, he gawked.

"A portable keyboard! Thank you so much!" They all grinned.

"Quick open the best one! You grandad thought of it," said Nan, fiddling with the camera.

Jude hurried over to the largest package, it was wrapped in orange paper with colourful balloons all over it. Ripping off a little bit of the wrapping paper at the bottom, he was met with a black material he was all too familiar with.

Jude gasped, "you didn't."

"We did," laughed grandad, "you're getting too big for your old one. Not to mention it's not in the best condition. You know it was your mum's when she was learning as a kid. It's time you had one your very own."

Jude's grin was bright enough to light up a room as he tore up the rest of the wrapping paper. He removed the packaging that made the case look square. He found the zipper and started to work his way around the case; it was a lot bigger than his one upstairs, they must have bought him th He average adult size. The lid flipped open with a push and he sat admiring it.

It was a basic acoustic guitar, the colour of birch wood. It had a black ring around the hole in the centre and was very polished. He carefully removed it from it's case and gave it a strum, it was perfectly in tune. He looked down, he saw carefully carved words, filled in with ink on the side. They read:

Be loud and proud – Nan

Sing to make yourself smile – grandad

Music is magic – mum

It was so cheesy...

Jude loved it. He got up and pulled them all into a hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Many kisses and hair ruffles later, nan got a photo of Jude with his new guitar.

Abby hugged her son goodnight and kissed him on the head.

"Get plenty of sleep. Diagon ally tomorrow."

Jude smiled, "goodnight, mum."

Today had been the best birthday, and celebrated on the real date.

Thanks for reading guys.

3


	5. Diagon Alley

Early the next morning, Jude and Abby got a train into London.

"Have you got the key?" Asked Jude.

"Yep," Abby pulled it out of her purse to show him, "Have you got the letters?"

"Yep," chirped Jude.

The first letter consisted of detailed instructions to get to Diagon Alley. The second was also filled with detailed instructions on how to get to the Hogwarts Express, Jude's ticket was firmly attached with some sort of spell. The third was his school supplies list.

"Alright, what are we getting then?" Abby grinned.

Jude read the letter out loud:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4\. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

SET BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jogger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal Phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"Sounds like you're going to a fancy-dress party," giggled Abby.

"It does a bit, doesn't it? Especially with the pointed hat and the pets."

"What's with that? Bringing pets to a boarding school. I can get the owls, they deliver post, but cats and toads? Someone could be allergic and they'll probably just end up cooped in somewhere."

"Yeah," agreed Jude. He felt bad for the poor animals. Someone's cat could eat another person's toad too. It didn't sound like a very good idea.

They got off the train into a familiar looking station. Jude had only been to London once before on his mum's birthday; she had wanted to look round the shops and do some sightseeing. He remembered how amazing everything looked from being so small, and all the bags he had to help carry. Jude smiled at the memory.

Soon they found themselves on the busy London streets. Jude held on to his mum's jacket so he wouldn't get lost. He got distracted by a small record shop. While he was looking through the window his mum stopped.

"I don't understand," she said exasperated, studying the instructions.

"Are we lost?"

"I think so. There's supposed to be a pub called The Leaky Cauldron here." Jude followed her eyes, then blinked, it was right next to the record shop.

"Mum, The Leaky Cauldron's right in front of you."

"Where?"

"There," Jude pointed.

"You're pointing at the gap between the buildings."

Jude was confused. "No, I'm pointing at The Leaky Cauldron. I can see the sign."

Then it hit both of them.

"Magic," they said in unison.

"Only wizards can see it," said Abby. "Hold my hand and lead me inside."

Jude did so.

Abby went cross-eyed for a moment as she felt as though she was walking between dimensions. When she could see, she found herself inside a dark and shabby looking pub.

"Huh."

She looked at the instructions again. The final step said to ask the bartender to take them to Diagon Ally. She walked towards the bar.

While she was doing this, Jude was adjusting his baseball cap to hold as much of his fringe against his forehead as possible. It wouldn't do to have people figure it out this early.

Abby had finally got the attention of the old bar man. He was quite bald and had been in the back, apparently polishing glasses.

"Ah, he for Hogwarts is he?" He said, pointing at Jude behind her.

"Yes, he starts in September, could you take us to Diagon Ally?"

"Yes, yes. No problem at all. Just follow me."

Abby got Jude's attention and they followed the man to the back of the pub. In a small, walled courtyard covered with weeds, the bartender stopped by some dustbins, facing a wall. He pulled out his wand from his sleeve. Jude noticed that it looked very different to McGonagall's, it was shorter and had a more intricately carved handle. The bartender tapped a brick in the middle of the wall three times with it. That brick suddenly started to wriggle, then it disappeared, the hole it left started growing bigger and bigger until it opened out onto a wavy cobbled street.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley," the bartender smiled at their amazement, then trekked back towards the pub. As Abby and Jude wandered through the hole it sealed shut behind them.

"Great," said Abby, "how are we supposed to get back?"

"I'm sure we'll figure it out," said an opened mouthed Jude, he was distracted by all of the weird and wonderful shops around him, selling stuff he hadn't even heard of. He shook himself.

"To Gringotts first," he said to his mum.

It hadn't taken them long to find Gringotts on their own, but they wouldn't have had to if people didn't seem so interested in ignoring their requests for help. The two people they had asked had turned up their noses and walked away, lots of other people seemed to insist on staring at them. Of course they realised instantly that the staring was because everyone was wearing robes and they weren't.

Jude wasn't one to kid himself, he loved attention, but this kind of attention felt odd to him. He didn't want everyone to know he was Harry Potter because if he had learnt one thing from bands and singers, it's that they changed when they got fame. He didn't want it to get to his head, especially for something he doesn't even remember doing. If he's going to be famous, it's going to be because of his amazing musical talent, not because of something his parents probably did to a Dark Lord.

Gringotts was a snowy-white building that towered over all the little shops in the alley. Stone steps lead up to huge burnished bronze doors. Jude suddenly felt himself pulled back by the shoulder. His mum was gesturing to something by the entrance; standing there was something clearly not human. It was about two heads shorter than Jude and was rather pointy looking; pointy face, pointy beard, pointy long fingers and nails. Despite not knowing what it was, Jude could tell it was clever and probably wise.

"What is that?" Asked Abby, careful to turn her back to it and hide amongst shoppers.

"I don't know," said Jude, "let's go ask it."

"What!?"

"It's clearly not dangerous or it wouldn't be here. Why not learn something new? And if we do something wrong we can blame it on ignorance."

Abby looked unsure, but seeing how confident her son was in taking on his strange new world, she agreed.

They walked up the large stone steps towards the creature, he bowed as they moved to the side of the door. Jude, seeing as it would be rude to do otherwise, bowed back, Abby quickly followed him. The creature looked very surprised.

"Good morning. I have grown up in the muggle world with my mum over here," he pointed to Abby, she waved, "I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about this building and it's residence." Jude finally decided on; it would be rude to just blurt out 'What are you?'.

The creature grinned a very toothy smile (pointy), and spoke in a raspy voice: "I would be pleased to.

I am Vaxil, and you are?"

"I'm Jude Day, and this is Abby Day. A pleasure to meet you Vaxil." Vaxil's smile got bigger, 'and more threatening if possible,' thought Abby, but Jude didn't seem to notice.

"This is Gringotts, the only bank of the UK's wizarding world. It is owned and operated by us goblins and was created by a goblin called Gringott in 1474. I can guarantee there is no safer place to store your gold."

'A real life goblin,' thought Jude, "wow." Vaxil held his head high, Jude smiled.

"You must be very proud,"

"Very proud, Mr Day," replied Vaxil in a mystified voice.

"Thank you very much Vaxil," said Abby, still reeling from the fact that goblins exist, "This place sounds spectacular and certainly looks it. If you'll excuse us we'll go and make use of it's services."

"Very well," Vaxil bowed. They bowed back and walked inside. They passed a silver door on the way, engraved with a poem:

ENTER, STRANGER, BUT TAKE HEED

OF WHAT AWAITS THE SIN OF GREED,

FOR THOSE WHO TAKE, BUT DO NOT EARN,

MUST PAY MOST DEARLY IN THEIR TURN,

SO IF YOU SEEK BENEATH OUR FLOORS

A TREASURE THAT WAS NEVER YOURS,

THIEF, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED, BEWARE

OF FINDING MORE THAN TREASURE THERE

"All banks should do that," Jude whispered to his mum, "threaten the robbers so they don't rob you," he grinned.

Another pair of goblins bowed to them through the doors, and they bowed back. The vast marble halls where about a hundred more goblins were sitting behind long counters and doing their business, suddenly fell silent.

All goblin eyes were on them, but some wizards carried on talking and didn't realise. After a second, the spell was broken and the goblins went back to business. All sorts of sounds started up again, from clicking to chiming to thunks from stamping.

Abby and Jude looked at each other. "Well, that was weird."

Carrie's Demise – Thank you muchly! That was part of the reason I started to write this in the first place. I knew I wanted a musical Harry but I couldn't find him :3.

FoxCat17 – Thank you!

trynmailme – I will certainly try. Thanks for enjoying my stuff!

Thanks for reading guys!

3


	6. It's Magic!

Around twenty-five people were bustling round the pristine marble halls, and that didn't include those being lead in and out of the many doors leading off the room. Most people were in the line leading to the front desk. Abby resigned herself to a long wait as she and Jude joined the line.

Suddenly, she heard a voice from under her: "excuse me, Iec will serve you both over there," the goblin who had spoken pointed with a long, hairy finger at another goblin behind the desk to their left, said goblin nodded at them.

"Oh. Thank you very much," she replied. They left the line.

Iec looked younger than most of the other goblins, he had bigger eyes, smoother looking skin and no hair anywhere on his face. Balanced on a ridiculously high stool an over the tall desk, he spoke in a clear deep voice. "How may I be of assistance?"

"We have come to look at the vault my son's biological parents left for him. We have the key here." Abby pulled it out of her bag quickly, not wanting to hold the goblin up. Taking the key, Iec asked, "do you know what name the vault is assigned to?"

"Erm-"

"Harry Potter," said Jude, trying to see over the desk.

"That seems to be in order," said Iec after inspecting the key closely. "Griphook!" Another goblin appeared beside them.

"I will take you to the vault, follow me," he stated quickly.

Abby took the key back from Iec and they followed Griphook through one of the doors leading off the hall, Griphook held it open for them, they both thanked him. Griphook's eyebrows seemed to raise to the top of his forehead.

Abby and Jude weren't idiots, they realised that whenever they did something polite the goblins looked surprised. Abby felt sad that they clearly weren't treated well enough for all they did, and Jude decided to do more research on them later.

They followed Griphook deep into a stone passageway that was lit up with touches, a stark contrast to the hall they had just been in. Soon they came to some railway tracks.

"Are we going to take a train? Just how far do these tunnels go?" Marvelled Jude.

"The tunnels go as far as from here to Scotland for some of them," answered Griphook in monotone. He then whistled and a small cart came speeding down the tracks towards them. "As for the transportation, this is what we use."

They all climbed into the cart and were off. Abby and Jude were thrilled with the little adventure they were having. Tunnels from London to Scotland? It seemed crazy but they were in them. The cart sped up until it felt like you were on a rollercoaster, the tracks twisted and turned and rose and fell all the way through. Jude thought he saw a blast of fire in one of the tunnels, then they came abruptly to a stop.

"I saw fire!" Said a panicked Jude to Griphook. "Are people going to be okay!?"

Griphook's face morphed into something that looked like a sneer, "that was Just the dragon, we have it under control."

"Dragon!?" Spluttered Abby.

The sneer grew bigger, "What do you think the carving on the doors was talking about?"

Jude and Abby were gobsmacked.

While they got their breath from the ride and 'DRAGONS!?', Griphook opened the vault with the key Abby had given him. He stood back as two large doors opened slowly, green smoke came billowing out, as it cleared, they both gasped.

Piles and piles of gold, silver and bronze coins. Abby almost fainted.

"Jesus Christ, Jude... were your parents loaded or what?" She laughed as he began exploring the vault. Jude couldn't process what she was saying, he was too busy thinking about all the instruments he was going to buy.

"What are these coins?" Abby asked Griphook.

"Wizard currency," he replied.

"They have their own currency? It's a good job we went here first or we wouldn't be able to buy anything. Jude, come over here. No! Jude! Money isn't for climbing! Stop!"

Jude got down and walked over to them.

"Could you explain how it works to us, please?" Asked Abby.

Griphook picked up three coins, he held up the biggest one first, it was gold, "Galleon," he stated. Then he held up the next biggest one, it was silver, "Sickle." Finally he held up a little bronze one, "knut.

Seventeen Sickles to a Galleon, twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle," he stated.

"That's a pretty complicated money system for a society who finish maths education at eleven," laughed Abby.

Griphook made a weird guttural sound with the same sneer as before on his face. It took them both a few seconds to realise that Griphook was laughing, and the sneer was not a sneer at all, but a smile.

'Have to find out more about goblins,' confirmed Jude.

"Indeed it is," said Griphook, "the muggle money system is a lot more sensible."

Abby smiled, "While were here could you exchange some of my pounds into Galleons?"

"Can't we just take some of these, mum?"

"You can take some for pocket money at school, but we did say we would only look. We'll decide what to do with this later."

"Okay," said Jude as he started filling his pockets, "Wow these are heavy."

"That is expected from pure gold, silver and bronze. Also, yes, I can exchange some money for you now if you would like?"

"Yes, that would be-" Abby backed up for a second, "pure gold!?"

"Only the finest sneered (smiled) Griphook."

"What's the exchange rate?"

"One Galleon can be exchanged for four pounds 93."

Abby was one hundred percent sure that a solid gold coin was worth more than that. She decided to get some Galleons today, and sell the left overs from shopping to see how much they're worth. She reached into her purse and gave Griphook some pounds to exchange.

[PAGE BREAK]

Another cart ride later found Abby and Jude outside Gringotts with a bag of Galleons. Jude looked down the street adjacent to Diagon Alley, according to the sign it was called Nocturn Alley. An old woman was sitting with a crate of snakes, selling them for a Galleon each. Jude tugged at his mum's jacket.

"Mum? Can I have a snake?"

"What?"

"The letter said you can bring a pet and since I can talk to snakes one would make the ideal pet for me. I'd have someone to talk to," he pleaded with his eyes.

Abby sighed, "Jude, the letter says you can either have an owl, cat, or toad. A snake is none of those things, and slightly more dangerous than all of those things."

Jude drooped. Abbey put a hand on his shoulder, he looked into her eyes. "I'll get you an owl if you're good," Jude instantly brightened, "so what do you want to buy first?"

"Wand!"

"Thought so."

[PAGE BREAK]

A few minutes later they found themselves in front of a narrow and shabby shop. The worn sign said: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC.

"Woah, that's a long time ago," said Jude as they walked inside. A bell tinkled somewhere as they stared at the shelves of what must be thousands of boxes in front of them.

"Good afternoon," said the soft voice of an old man who was walking in from the back of the shop.

"Hi," said Jude.

"Ah, yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. Jude was very glad there was no one else in the shop. Before he could say anything the man continued. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it - it's the wand really that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr Ollivander was invading Jude's personal space so he stepped back, he could smell the guys breath and he was in much need of a mint.

"Actually, sir, it's Jude, Jude Day. I would appreciate it if you would call me that." Ollivander's misty eyes blinked, then he seemed to understand.

"My apologies... Now Mr Day. Which is your wand arm?"

"I'm right handed?" He supplied as Ollivander pulled out a tape measure.

"Hold out your arm." The tape measure suddenly started measuring his arm and other parts of his body by its self. While it was doing this, Ollivander explained how no two of his wands were the same, and that he won't get as good results with another wizard's wand.

"That will do," he said and the tape measure fell to the floor. He presented Jude with a wand. "Try this, Mr Day. Beech wood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Give it a wave." The moment Jude touched the wand Ollivander instantly snatched it back, muttering something he couldn't hear.

Jude turned to look at his mum who was sitting on a stool in the corner. She pointed to her head and swirled her finger flicking her eyes to Ollivander. Jude giggled.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy-" it was snatched back again.

"No, no – here, ebony and unicorn hair, 12 inches, quite bendy."

Jude tried wand after wand after wand but nothing was happening, he didn't even know what Ollivander was looking for.

"Tricky. Tricky, tricky, tricky. Not to worry, We'll find you the perfect match somewhere – I wonder." He pulled out a box and stared from it to Jude. "I wonder, I wonder." He swooped over and presented it to him. "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Jude took the wand and gave it a wave. Nothing happened.

Ollivander looked confused. "I could have sworn that would be the one... Oh Well, let's keep trying."

A dozen wands later, Ollivander was out of breath from running around the shop and Jude was starting to get upset.

"oh-huff," he coughed and swallowed, "hornbeam and dragon heartstring, 12 and a quarter inches, quite springy."

Jude took it and gave it a wave, no longer feeling excited, just disappointed. Suddenly, he felt warmth in his fingers. The wand started to sparkle and as he brought it back up, it shot orange sparks, lighting up the dust and bringing a joyful smile to Jude's face.

"Oh, bravo," yelled Mr Ollivander, grinning and clapping., "another tricky customer satisfied. How very nice, my own wand is made of hornbeam. It hears your heart, Mr Day, it knows that you have a one true passion and it's for that reason that it chose you. I wish you all the luck in the world for whatever that may be. I suspect your wand will become very personalised very quickly."

Jude grinned, "Thank you very much, Mr Ollivander."

They paid for the wand and left.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude wanted to get his books next; he was eager to learn about this new world. They came across a book shop called Flourish and Blotts. The clerk was very helpful in gathering all his school books. He also picked out Hogwarts a History, and a few books on goblins. His mum added a book on wizarding etiquette for muggles at the counter.

Trips to other shops got him his cauldron (there's a solid gold one in the window, isn't that extremely in practical? It'll melt!), his glass phials, his brass scales and a school trunk that was recommended.

Jude was looking at a collapsible brass telescope when his mum interrupted him. "That thing looks like it was made in the fifteenth century. I'll get you a more up to date one from that space shop by the station."

[PAGE BREAK]

'Time for the most boring part of today,' thought Jude, 'clothes.'

They went into a shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, a small, plump woman greeted them.

"Hogwarts, dear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"This way." She lead him to the back of the shop while his mum was looking at the clothes on display. Stood on a footstool in the middle of the room was a pale boy with platinum blond hair. He looked rather frustrated as a young woman pinned royal green fabric robes onto his person. Jude was guided up onto the footstool next to him to have his robes pinned.

"Hi," said Jude, "are you okay?"

"Hullo," said the boy, "just a little frustrated. We came here yesterday to get my school robes but mother forgot to get my dress robes finished so we had to come back. I'd rather be preparing for Hogwarts."

Jude's brain instantly kicked into social mode. This boy was going to Hogwarts too.

'Potential new friend, don't screw this up, Jude.'

"Ugh, I can understand that, I hate having to stand still for so long," he explained. The boy gave a small smile. Then, in a bored, drawling voice, he said:

"My mother is down the street looking at wands. After that I'm going to drag her off to look at racing brooms again. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully Father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Jude was strongly reminded of Dudley before they became friends.

"That's a bit mean don't you think?"

"Huh?"

"Bullying your dad. He could get in trouble if you don't follow school rules, and being mean to anyone in general isn't that great."

The boy frowned, then changed the subject.

"Have you got your own broom?"

"Nope."

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"What's Quidditch?"

"Wha- oh. You're not my sort are you?" He said with a scowl.

"What do you mean?"

"You parents? They aren't witch or wizard?"

"Ohhh," said Jude, suddenly understanding that he was asking why Jude didn't know anything about their world, "no, they were. They died when I was a baby. I was raised by muggles."

"Oh," said the boy, looking shocked, "that must have been awful."

"What? No! My mum's great and so are my grandparents. I didn't even know magic existed until a couple of weeks ago."

The boy looked horrified.

"Sooo... What's Quidditch?" Asked Jude.

"It's our sport," the boy looked disorientated, "you play it on a broom."

"Oh. I'm not really one for sports. I don't even really watch them, but I'll check Quidditch out to see if I like it. You never know. What about you? Do you play Quidditch?"

The boy seemed to snap back into reality, he sneered and carried on in the same voice as before.

"Yes, I do. Father says it would be a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"I'm not sure, I seem to have traits of all of them. What about you?"

"I know I'll be in Slytherin," he said proudly, "all my family have been – imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"What are you talking about? Hufflepuff sounds pretty good, Helga Hufflepuff rigged the system."

"What are you on about?"

"Think about it. You've got all the ridiculously brave people, getting into fights and pulling dare devil stunts in one place; you've got all the smart book-worms who mostly likely go on and on and on about their favourite characters and stay up until one in the morning in one place; you've got all the ambitious and cunning people, plotting twists and turns around each other in one place; and Helga is just like "I'll take all the NORMAL people". It just seems really funny to me."

The ladies pinning their robes were sniggering.

"Not to mention," continued Jude, "Loyalty is the best trait a person can have. Loyal people are what you want to hang out with, they will be your best friends forever. Speaking from experience."

The boy looked at him like he had just grown a second head. Before Jude could ask him what was wrong, the lady helping him said, "That's you done, dear."

"Bye! See you at Hogwarts!" Waved Jude on his way out of the door, the boy waved back, still looking weirded out.

'I think that went well,' thought a pleased Jude.

"There you are," said Abby, "look what I bought." She held up several different coloured bandannas.

"To hide your scar," she explained.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude was sitting on the train reading his books. His mum had told him he had to read at least the first page of all of his school books (preferably the first chapter), before he could start the ones he had bought for pleasure. She also wanted him to get started on wizard etiquette, it wasn't a good idea to go head first into a new culture without at least a good idea of what was involved. It was clear she had an unpleasant story related to that statement but Jude wouldn't push.

A cage sat by his side. In it was the most beautiful snowy owl he had ever seen. He took one look at her and knew he was meant to have her. After flipping through A History of Magic, he decided to name her Hedwig, after one of the people he read about.

He still couldn't believe it all and (he never thought he'd think this) couldn't wait for school to start.

He skipped home from the station much to Abby's amusement.

"What's got you in such a good mood?"

"Oh, ho, ho. It's Magic!

You knooooowww." Jude sang.

Abby laughed and Joined in.

"Never believe it's not sooooooo ."

[ENDING BREAK]

Thanks for reading!


	7. Off to Hogwarts!

August 3rd started with Jude and friends gathering in front of a roller rink.

It had been Joey's idea and Jude thought it was great. He had only been roller skating once when he was younger and didn't remember a lot of it. Most of their class was there, plus some friends from the neighbourhood.

All skated up, Jude, Joey and Tom held hands to try and stop themselves from falling over. It didn't work. Jude had a vague memory of him falling on his face last time.

They fell over and over and over again, laughing every time. Eventually the got enough of a hang on it that Tom wanted them to do a human whip and send him flying. It ended as predicted so Joey and Tom decided to take a break, Jude kept going.

He saw Dudley and his best friend Piers struggling to stand up straight, he heard their parents egging them on.

"Come Piers! You can do it!"

"Dudley, my boy. Remember your boxing stances."

"Maybe I should go and help him, Vernon?"

"Nonsense, Petunia. He can do this."

Petunia. That's the name of his mum's sister who lives it their neighbourhood. Could it be? He skated over to her as best he could.

"Excuse me?" The thin woman took one look at him and sneered, "can I talk to you in private? I have something very important to ask you."

She looked at Vernon. Vernon shrugged. She followed him outside the rink.

"What is it?" She practically demanded. Jude wondered why she was so snippy with him.

"Did you have a sister called Lilly Potter?"

Her face started to morph into absolute horror but she quickly stopped herself. 'She doesn't like wizards,' Jude remembered.

"No, No, not at all. I've never heard of this Lilly Potter. Who is th- wait, what do you mean did?"

Jude frowned. She'd never been told? That was wrong.

"I'm very sorry. I hate for you to find out like this, I thought you knew. Lilly Potter died when I was a baby along with her husband. I'm her son."

Petunia pulled into a stern stance, "Oh." Jude could see tears brimming in her eyes, but she would not let them fall.

"I only found out who my biological parents were a month ago and that you are my auntie. I- I hope you can look past what I am enough to get to know me," he asked cautiously, "I'd really like to get to know the biological family I have left. I'm already good friends with Dudley, who I guess is my cousin."

'Dudley's my cousin!?'

When Petunia didn't speak, he continued, "My mum isn't my sort. I could just sit in the room while you get to know he-"

The tears were falling, she covered her face with a hand. She knelt down and pulled Jude into a hug.

"Of course I'll get to know you," came a watery laugh, "Thank you for looking out for my son... You look so much like your father, and you have your mother's eyes."

When they came back to the rink, Petunia had to drag him through the doors so he didn't fall over. He skated over to his mum who was skating alongside Tom's mum.

"What was that about?"

"I just met my biological auntie-"

"Dudley's your cousin?!"

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude spent most of the time he had left with his new found cousin Dudley. They played video games and... Mostly video games.

Petunia and Vernon came round for lunch several times. Petunia was very gracious and seemed nervous, whereas Vernon always looked at Jude like he was a dangerous creature.

It hurt but he was happy.

September first came quickly. He said goodbye to his closest friends on the phone the night before. The morning was spent trying to get everything to fit in his trunk. Eventually, he decided on taking along with his school stuff: his goblin and etiquette books, his keyboard and his Sony Walkman along with all the cassettes he could fit in the remaining space. Of course he would be taking his guitar, he would carry it on his back using the strap on the case.

On the way to King's Cross station, the conversation was mostly one-sided.

"Don't get into trouble. If you need anything owl me. Learn as much as you can. Don't forget to owl me. If the school is not up to scratch in any way owl me, I'm still not confident about sending you to a school run by the guy who left you on a doorstep, I will pull you out if anything like that happens again, you can come to the school I teach at if you want. But don't worry, that's a worst case scenario. Have you got enough clothes?"

"Mum?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"I'll be fine, stop worrying."

At the station they found the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Jude held onto his mum as he pushed the trolley through the barrier so she could come too.

The scarlet steam engine that was the Hogwarts Express was very impressive. Jude was practically jumping with excitement. His mum helped him put his trunk and owl into the train, then turned him around and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Have an amazing time and tell me all about it whenever you can."

"Okay, mum." They hugged.

"I'm going to miss you, kid."

"Me too." She adjusted his black bandanna and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Love you."

"Love you too."

"Bye."

"Bye," he waved as she stepped back, tears in his eyes. He missed her already. Good job he had a packed of tissues in his pocket.

With that, Jude got onto the train and found an empty compartment, he waved to his mum out of the window as she passed through the barrier. This was it.

He got one of his goblin books out of his trunk and started reading, a few pages in, the train started moving.

A trolley came around a few minutes later, he bought a cauldron cake and went back to his book. He could hear kids talking and screaming in the compartments next to him. It occurred to him that he should probably go and try to make friends. He got up, but just stood there reading his book, so he sat back down again. There would be time to make friends later.

He heard the door open and looked up from his book. Standing in the doorway was a round faced, blond boy who looked tearful. That wouldn't do at all.

"Sorry-"

"No, no, it's okay," he got up and put a hand lightly on his arm, leading him to sit next to him, "what's wrong? Tell me how I can help." He offered the boy a tissue, he took one and blew his nose.

"Thanks. Sorry. I've lost my toad, Trevor. I've looked everywhere," he sniffled.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll help you find him."

"Really?"

"Of course. Where have you looked for him?"

The boy seemed to start getting more upset, "I've asked all the carriages up to this one and this is the last one," he sniffled.

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't worry. Don't get upset. We'll find him, I promise you."

The boy sniffled but looked thankful.

"I'm Jude Day," he held out a hand, the boy took it.

"Neville Longbottom."

"Nice to meet you, Neville. Let's go look for Trevor. Have you checked with the driver yet?"

"We're not allowed in there..."

"I'll take that as a no."

They wandered all the way up the train to the controls. Jude rapped on the door.

"Hello?" Came a gruff voice.

"Hi! Sorry to bother you but have you seen a toad anywhere?" Jude shouted through the door.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have, he's in here with me." The door unbolted and swung open slowly with a high-pitched, grating sound.

They saw a man of average height at the controls, he had a curly white beard and was wearing a red hat which matched the express. He pointed to his left, on the counter was a toad, it croaked.

"Trevor!" Shouted Neville and he scooped up the toad and held him close.

"Thank you, Mr driver, sir," said Jude.

"Don't mention it. You both best get changed, we'll be arriving soon."

They left the cabin. Jude put a hand on Neville's shoulder. "Keep an eye on him now, you don't want to lose him again."

"Yes. Thanks."

"No problem," 'new friend, don't let him get away,' "hey, you wanna come and sit with me for the rest of the journey? I could use some company."

Neville looked surprised. Jude saw a lot of anxiety and self-consciousness in his eyes. He narrowly avoided holding his heart. He instantly decided that Neville was his best friend here and he would do anything to protect him.

"Er- Yes, please. I would like that." Stuttered Neville.

'Aw, Yes, first friend. One down, the entirety of Hogwarts to go,' Jude thought.

After they had got changed they sat down in the compartment and before Jude could strike up a conversation, a girl walked it. She had lots of wild, frizzy brown hair and rather large front teeth.

"Excuse me? Could I come and sit in here with you both, people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," she had a bossy voice.

Jude looked at Neville, wanting him to be comfortable. Neville shrugged.

"Yeah, sure," said Jude, "I'm Jude Day," he got up and held out a hand. She grinned sweetly and shook it enthusiastically. Neville took her outstretched hand when he let go. He leant down and kissed the back of her hand.

"Neville Longbottom," he said.

"Hermione Granger," she said, blushing.

Jude felt like an idiot. How could he have forgot? The etiquette book said you were supposed to greet witches by kissing the back of their hands like Neville did. Thankfully she was probably muggleborn, if her flustered reaction was any indication.

"Oh, I forgot that you're supposed to greet witches like that," he said to Neville.

"Like what?" Asked Hermione.

Jude explained what he had learnt from the book to Hermione.

"O-oh. I didn't think of that. I got a few extra books for background reading but nothing about etiquette, could I borrow that book from you?"

"Of course," said Jude. He ran over to his trunk, pulled the book out and gave it to her.

"Thanks," she smiled, showing off her teeth.

"No problem," he replied. She looked very cute when she smiled.

[PAGE BREAK]

"Is that a guitar?" Asked Neville, looking at the case next to Jude's trunk.

"Yep, my pride and joy."

"You play?" Asked Hermione.

"Indeed."

"Could you play something for us?" Before Jude could reply, they felt the train slowing down.

"Another time," he promised them both, "right now I wanna try and get a good look at Hogwarts," he climbed onto the seat and peered out the window. His new friends did the same.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to school separately." Jude bit his lip. He didn't really want to leave his guitar, what if they broke it? He voiced the concerns to his new friends.

"Don't worry. They probably move them by magic so they won't be damaged, and even if it did get damaged, I know a repairing spell," said Hermione.

"Wow, that's really cool. How'd you learn that?"

"It was in one of the books so I just tried it and it worked," her cheeks were tinged pink.

"Nice."

[PAGE BREAK]

Outside the train was dark and cold. Suddenly he heard a large booming voice, "firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" The man was Humongous! Jude did a double take. He had a large brown beard and unkempt hair. Jude grabbed hold of Neville and Hermione's arms to avoid getting lost.

They followed the man down a steep, narrow path. It was so dark you couldn't see the end of your nose on your face. It was silent until the man broke it, "Yeh'll get her firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec. Jus' round this bend here.'

"Oooooh!" Said everyone.

Hogwarts could be seen over a large body of water. It sat on top of a mountain, windows on the turrets and body lighting up the area around it, the back drop was a clear, starry sky. It looked magical.

Jude spotted large group of little boats by the shore. "No more's four to a boat!" Yelled the man. Jude's trio picked a boat roughly in the middle. Jude clambered in then helped the other two. A small girl approached their boat and tried not to look awkward. Jude smiled and held out a hand, helping her into the boat.

"Everyone in?" called the man, who had a boat all to himself, "right then – FORWARD!"

The boats began gliding across the lake, it wasn't bumpy at all. Everyone was quiet, too in awe of the sight above them.

"Heads down!" They all ducked as the boats went through hanging ivy into a dark cave, you could hear the water dripping from the ceiling into the void. Eventually they reached shore and they all clambered out. Neville helped Jude out of the boat, then they helped the girls. They clambered up the passageway to a huge oak door. The man knocked three times with his huge hands.

The door swung open and there stood someone very familiar. Professor McGonagall.

They were all taken to a small empty chamber off of the main hall, you could hear the chattering of the other students.

Professor McGonagall welcomed them all, then explained the houses and house-points. She finished by telling them to smarten up for the sorting ceremony.

Hermione started whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learnt and wondering which one she would need for the sorting ceremony. Jude put a hand on her shoulder, and Neville's when he saw how pale he looked.

"Don't worry. I doubt it would be a test of what magic we know since we're here to learn magic and nobody has asked us to learn anything yet," Hermione stopped and Neville looked a little bit better, "whatever happens, happens and we'll still be friends in the end," he smiled at Neville. Neville smiled back, genuinely.

Then something happened which made several people scream, he turned around.

Ghosts.

Real ghosts right in front of him.

'I'm going to make friends with dead people!' thought Jude, excitedly.

"New students!" said one of the ghosts, "about to be sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded while Jude yelled "Yep!"

The ghost laughed, "hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."

Just then, McGonagall came back and had them form a line. They followed her, single file, out of the chamber and into the great hall. Thousands of candles lit up the room, the ceiling looked like the night sky. He heard Hermione whisper to Neville that it was bewitched, and that she'd read about it in Hogwarts: A History.

McGonagall placed a hat on a stool in front of the staff table. It was quiet. Then the hat opened a rip like a mouth and began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart,

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil,

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind,

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall applauded as the hat finished it's song. It bowed to each of the tables. Jude frantically clapped. A hat charmed to sing! That's incredible!

With that the students started to be sorted.

"Abbott, Hannah!" The girl from the boat stumbled up to the hat and put it on. After a moment the hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit at the table. The ghost he had seen earlier waved merrily to her.

Jude clapped for every person regardless of what house the got into, then; "Day, Jude!"

Jude hopped up next to the sorting hat, very eager. He lifted up the hat and started to lower it onto his head. The second it touched him, the hat screamed, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

[FINAL BREAK]

a reader fan – Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it, and good idea!

Guest – Thank you!

Thanks for reading :3


	8. The feast

Woopsy Doopsy. Sorry guys! I've been in a mega rush today and uploaded the wrong file. The chapter here now though. Thanks for being patient with me! Have a nice day!

[BREAK]

Jude rushed down to the Hufflepuff table, cheers following him. He sat next to Hannah and gave her a small wave before the sorting continued. Sadly, Hermione and Neville ended up in Gryffindor, it was good that they were together though. They waved at him from their places next to each other.

The blond boy he saw in Diagon Alley was sorted into Slytherin in quite a similar way to Jude. The moment the hat touched his head it shouted, as if there was no other place he could possibly go. Apparently his name was Draco Malfoy.

'Oh my God, what an amazing name,' was the first thing Jude thought when her heard it, it was a fantastic coincidence that it was the same boy. Jude concluded that he would have to tell him what he thought of his name, complements brightened people's day after all. He clapped for everybody but Draco was one of the people he clapped louder for. This got him weird looks as lots of people in Gryffindor booed the Slytherins to him surprise. This made him rather sad, he could have ended up in Slytherin.

In fact, Jude was rather confused as to why he didn't get put into Slytherin. His wand chose him because of his crazy huge one ambition that he would do anything to get to: playing music. The hat could have at least considered it, but it didn't. Jude frowned, this was a puzzle to be sure.

When the sorting finished, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet, beaming at his students. Jude smiled widely back at him.

"Welcome!" His voice reached everyone's ears, bouncing off the walls in a slight echo. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

Thank you!"

Jude chuckled as everyone clapped and cheered.

"Dumbledore's a bit eccentric, don't you think?" He whispered to Hannah. She looked as though she didn't know whether he was talking to her. Eventually she nodded with a timid smile.

"I don't think I've introduced myself," he said confidently, "I'm Jude Day," he held out a hand.

"Hannah Abbott," she said and took it. Jude kissed the back like he was supposed to. She smiled at him. "I see you've been doing your research. Or are you a half-blood like me?"

"Both of my parents were wizards but I never knew them. My name is the name my adoptive mum gave me."

"It's a very nice name," she said.

"Thanks. You too." Jude suddenly realised she was eating, and when he looked around, there was a feast fit for a king right in front of him. He immediately began to fill his plate with everything he could reach.

On the staff stable, Snape was absolutely livid. He had been told the son of the old bain of his existence wasn't coming, he hadn't got a letter and they couldn't find him. Yet it was obvious who was sitting at the Hufflepuff table with a black bandanna covering his forehead. Although, he was slightly relieved, if Voldemort was to rise again, the prophecy would come into play. But he was still mostly livid.

A hand rested on his shoulder, he turned to see Dumbledore. "Albus."

"I know what you're think Severus, and you would be right. I just ask, please do not tell anybody who he is, this could be vital for his protection, but he also wants it to be this way."

"What? So it can be an even bigger reveal later in the year, it'll be all the students talk about, he'll be rolling in attention."

"Severus, my boy. It's not like that. The name he's using is the name he was given when the people who raised him found him, so it is his name as far as he's concerned. His reasons for not wanting people to know who he is are not quite black and white, but you should respect his wishes. He his not his father, he's never even met his father. Please, Severus, give the boy a chance."

Snape scowled, "I will not speak of who he is, but do not expect me to like him." Dumbledore nodded and went back to his seat.

[PAGE BREAK]

Back at the Hufflepuff table, Jude had just finished his Jelly and ice cream. Looking up at the staff table he studied some of his teachers. Professor McGonagall taught Transfiguration, he knew that. There was a very happy looking woman, a small man with a curly mustash, he was very pointy. There was the big guy who took them on the boats, a man with a hook nose and greasy black hair, and a stuttering guy with a turban. When he turned his head to talk to someone, Jude's scar started to hurt.

"Ow,"

"Are you alright, Jude?"

"Yeah. Just a headache," 'that was weird.'

The puddings disappeared like the other food did as he decided to stop looking at the teachers. Dumbledore stood up again, the hall fell silent. "Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes focused on two red heads at the Gryffindor table, they looked to be twins. They grinned at each other.

"I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." Jude laughed, but Hannah gave him a look.

"He's not serious is he?" He whispered to no one in general.

"He is," said one of the prefects, looking disturbed.

'Welp,' though Jude, 'better report that to mum.'

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Cried Dumbledore. Jude was instantly excited.

With a flick of Dumbledore's wand, a long golden ribbon rose high above the tables and spelled out words.

"Everyone pick their favourite tune! And off we go!"

The entire school bellowed:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot."

It was absolute chaos and Jude loved it. He could barely sing because he was laughing too hard. Everybody finished at different times, the last being the twins Dumbledore had looked at before, singing a slow march. Everybody applauded, but some of the teachers looked worse for wear.

"Ah, music," Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes. Jude wouldn't be surprised if those were tears of laughter. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Jude waved again to Hermione and Neville before following the prefect that had spoken before. They were all lead deep into the basement of the school until the prefect stopped in a dark corridor. There was a large pile of barrels in a dead end, the prefect approached them and tapped one of them several times, the wall opened up and many people gasped. They followed the prefect through a sloping earthy passage that eventually came up to a cosy, round, little room that reminded Jude of a Hobbit's home.

Jude loved it instantly, it felt like a cottage in the woods with cute, wooden furniture, furnished in honey colours and black. There were lots of plants dotted around the room, from colourful flowers to cacti. There was an adorable little fireplace and the sofas that surrounded it held patch-work quilts. There were round windows just next to the ceiling, allowing a view of the grounds, at the back of the room was a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff, toasting with a gold two handled cup.

Once everyone was inside, the prefect turned to them all. "Congratulations! I'm prefect Gabriel Truman, and I'm delighted to welcome you to the Hufflepuff house and common room!" He grinned at them all.

"Now. First things first. In order to get into the common room, you must tap the barrel in the pile outside that is two from the bottom and in the middle. Tap in the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff'. If you do anything wrong you will be soaked with vinegar. That's to stop people of other houses from trying to get in."

Lots of people laughed.

"Now, a run down of the rules and regulations."

Lots of people groaned.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude jumped onto the soft, four-poster bed that was his while he stayed here. Too tired to do anything else, he curled up and went to sleep. He had a good feeling about this place.


	9. New friend?

Jude jumped out of bed when he heard soft hooting. At the window next to his bed was Hedwig, coming to visit from the owlery, which he had heard about last night. After opening the window, he stroked her soft feathers while she hooted happily and nipped at his fingers.

It was still dark outside, but he could see the sun peaking over the horizon and knew it would be light soon. He offered Hedwig an arm and she hopped on, careful not to stick her claws into the boy who had been so nice to her. Jude took his Sony walkman out of his bag, put the head phones on and pressed play. Nothing happened.

'That's a pain,' though Jude, 'the battery must have run out.' So he put it back and got out his keyboard. Not wanting to wake the other boys, he went into the common room.

There were a few older students already up, but not many. Jude sat on a sofa with Hedwig still on his arm and clicked the on button. It didn't turn on.

Jude was confused, it was working before he left why wasn't it working now?

"Hey."

Jude looked up. It was Gabriel. "That's a pretty tiny piano," he continued.

"It's my keyboard, but it's not working for some reason."

"Do you have any idea why?"

"The batteries might have run out, but they're new so I don't see why they would."

"What are batteries?"

Jude blinked, then remembered that wizards don't really need electricity, they have magic to do it all.

"They're like, little metal shapes that power things with electricity," explained Jude as best he could.

"Oh. I know why your board isn't working then. Electricity doesn't work in Hogwarts."

"What!?"

"Yeah, magic and that stuff don't mix apparently. I remember the muggles studies teacher telling me that."

Jude was absolutely devastated, no music for most of the year? He only had his guitar left.

"Oh... Thanks for telling me, Gabriel." He got up and went back up to his dorm. Hedwig nibbled his ear in an attempt to cheer him up. It only worked slightly.

[PAGE BREAK]

Down in the great hall, breakfast was as great as the feast was the night before. Scrambled eggs and bacon stacked like mountains, and all different kinds of cereal waiting.

Their head of house, Professor Sprout, had given them a speech this morning about it being their first day of lessons. She seemed very motherly to Jude, he knew instantly that he wouldn't have any problems with her. She walked around the table, handing out timetables.

When he got his, he took a moment to study it, then focused on today's lessons. He had double potions with Ravenclaw first.

Jude remembered his mum being very interested in potions, she had wondered how different it could be to chemistry, which she taught to the younger years when they needed a substitute teacher. She was a biology teacher but she enjoyed spreading her wings. Jude decided his first letter to her would consist of what happened in that lesson, plus what Dumbledore had said about dying a painful dead. Hopefully the potions would counteract her impending over-reaction.

They were escorted to their first lessons and encouraged to memorize the way so they could get there or their own later. Potions was down in the dungeons, it was musty, cold and damp but Jude didn't mind it much. He felt as though their teacher, Professor Snape, had a theme going on, what with all the Frankenstein style jars with animal parts in.

On arrival Jude discovered that Professor Snape was the hook nosed man at the staff table. Taking a seat next to Hannah, he pulled his stationary out of their case. Hannah looked over and eyed Jude's ball-point pens.

"I thought we had to use quills," she whispered to him.

Jude looked around, sure enough, everyone had quills and ink at their desk. Another theme the school apparently had going.

"Why would you have to? It's only going to make people's handwriting worse with all the smudges," he held out a pen for Hannah to take. She took it with a grateful look.

Snape started by taking their register. Everything about him seemed to demand silence, the class obliged without complaint. His black, fathomless eyes seemed to drink in everything around him, Jude felt rather intimidated.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began in a clear but quite voice that seemed to attract all the attention in the room. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with It's shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Jude giggled at that last bit and all eyes focused on him. He had the decency to look ashamed as he had just interrupted that amazing speech. The professor really had a way with words, he was wondering if it was pre-written and Snape had given it to all his first-years to impress them. Jude had to admit it worked, he was very excited to get started.

A shadow cast over his desk, he looked up.

"Mr... Day. Since you find the concept of others being dunderheads so funny, I'm sure you'll have no problem proving you're not one of them. What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Yes! Thankfully after reading the first chapter of the book like his mum had asked him, Jude flipped through the book and stopped on all the potions that sounded cool. One of them was the draught of the living death.

"The draught of the living death, sir," he said with a smile.

Maybe it was his imagination, but Professor Snape didn't look very pleased.

"Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

Jude remembered being so confused as to why a goat would have a stone that could cure poisons in it's stomach that he asked his mum. What she had told him about what a bezoar was, was very gross, but she admitted to not knowing how it could cure a poison.

"The stomach of a goat, sir," he replied with less enthusiasm.

He swore he heard Snape growl.

"What's the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Jude was stumped on that one. He was pretty sure he saw monkshood when flipping through One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, but he didn't know what it was. Wolfsbane sounded cool to him but he didn't know what that was either.

"I don't know, sir," said Jude. Plenty of hands from Ravenclaw popped up.

"Tut, Tut- you clearly have a way to go before you can laugh at the other dunderheads," sneered Snape. The insult didn't hit Jude, he was too busy trying not to laugh at the word 'dunderhead', for some reason it was very amusing coming out of professor Snapes mouth. He just didn't seem like the type of person to say that.

"Monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" That last bit was mostly directed at the Hufflepuffs, the Ravenclaws had been scribbling since the speech.

Snape eyed the pen in Jude's hand as he wrote, "too good for quills, are we Mr Day?"

"No, sir," Jude said quickly, "I just prefer them, there was nothing in the letter that said I couldn't have them." Snape glared but didn't say anything else. Jude had a feeling that Snape didn't like him very much, this made him rather sad.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude later had a feeling that Snape didn't like anyone. While they were brewing a potion to cure boils, he stalked around the classroom, telling everyone what they were doing wrong in the harshest possible way. Jude wondered what had happened to make him that way.

Soon the lesson was over and their finished cure for boils was bottled. The students left the class room in single file. Jude said thank you as he left, like his mum had asked him to, she said it made some teacher's days. Behind the closed door, Snape ground his teeth.

While being lead by a prefect, Jude checked his timetable. The next lesson was transfiguration with the Slytherins, but right now was a break. The prefect showed them all the study areas and the library. After, she showed them to the transfiguration classroom and left them to their own devices.

Jude and Hannah hung around the door, not wanting to explore and get lost. They had a nice chat about music, Hannah told him about some of the bands the wizarding world had. Soon, a prefect with a green Slytherin badge was leading some first-years to the classroom. Like Hufflepuff's prefect, he left them there. Among the black and green, Jude saw someone familiar. Draco Malfoy.

He was talking to two large boys that reminded him of body guards. Jude strolled up to them when most of the Slytherins had dispersed.

"Hey!" He said, waving.

"Oh, it's you," said Draco in his pompous voice.

"It's me," said Jude, "listen, I just want to say how awesome I think your name is."

"Yes, yes," said Draco, turning snobbish, "the Malfoy name is anc-"

"No, not that. Your first name. It's so cool to be named after a freaking dragon constellation! Your parents have great taste."

Draco blinked, much like he had back in the alley, then shook his head.

"You are very strange, Day."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Eerr, well... no thank you?"

There was a beat, then Draco laughed. It didn't have the same drawling sound his voice did most of the time. Jude liked it.

When Draco stopped, he gestured to his left, "this is Crabbe," then to his right, "and this is Goyle."

"Nice to meet you both." They looked confused but nodded.

"I was thinking about what you said, Day. Back in the alley about Hufflepuff's being loyal and I've decided I want you around. You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." He held out a hand for Jude to take. Jude took it without thinking.

"I'd love to be your friend, Draco, but I don't think I need to know anything about families. Who gives a damn about how rich or how high up your family are? I wannabe friends with people because I want to get to know them better or want to be around them, not for a boost in popularity or anything. Thanks for the offer, though."

Before Draco could reply, Professor McGonagall was shooing them all into the classroom. Hannah grabbed Jude's arm and dragged him to sit next to her.

"What are you doing!?"

"What?"

"Malfoy is the most arrogant git in the school," she said this very quietly, being sure to cover her mouth, "he's a blood purist and a bully. What are you doing trying to be friends with him?"

"What's a blood purist?"

"A racist, magical style."

"What!?"

"Shush! Just please, don't go near him. I don't want my first friend here getting hurt."

Just then, McGonagall started up her lecture.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she began. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

She then went through some of the most important rules of transfiguration. Do not turn anything into a liquid or a gas. If inhaled or consumed or moved into cracks into walls, it can cause massive damage when it changes back. Jude had swallowed, this was seriously dangerous stuff.

After making lots of complex notes, they started trying to turn a match into a needle. It was a lot harder than it looked. Although, his mind was distracted. It seemed ridiculous to him that Draco would have these kind of views, but he obviously did, Hannah wouldn't lie.

He eventually came to the conclusion that he would tell Hannah that if Draco wanted his friendship, he would give it, but it would be revoked if he did something bad and refused to see his side of it. He wasn't confident he could change his views, but he would certainly try if it ever came up.

Nothing about his match stick changed that lesson.


	10. Many things are begining

Jude's first week at Hogwarts was coming close to an end.

It was Thursday. He had spent most of yesterday evening in the hospital wing with Neville, Hannah and Hermione. Neville had messed up in potions class and had warts all over his skin, Hermione hadn't been able to stop him from putting the porcupine quills in, in time. They had cheered him up by bringing him some sweets from the great hall. After, he had sent his first letter to his mum, telling her about the headmaster's warning, the lessons he had and the friends he had made.

That morning, all of their quartet had been nervous, it was their first flying lessons later. Jude and Hannah were before lunch with the Ravenclaws, while Neville and Hermione were at three thirty with the Slytherins. Hermione was currently telling them all some tips that she had read in a book in the library, they were all hanging onto every word.

Just then, a barn owl swooped down to the table with a small package for Neville. He opened it excitedly and showed them all a glass ball full of white smoke.

"It's a rememberall," he said to Jude and Hermione confused looks, "Gran knows I forget things – this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red – oh... You've forgotten something."

Jude laughed as Neville turned as red as his orb.

"Your cloak, Neville?" Asked Hannah. Neville looked down, then scratched his head.

"Oh, yeah. I thought I put it on this morning. I'll have to get it before lessons start." The smoke turned white again.

"Thanks, Hannah," he smiled as he got up.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude reflected over his experiences so far. He was sad to acknowledge that defence against the dark arts was a joke because of their scaredy-cat teacher. Jude did feel a bit sorry for him, but he shouldn't be teaching if he was afraid of his own subject. Jude thought he was allergic to something in the room as well, he kept getting the worst headaches when in that class. He decided if it carried on he would go and see the school nurse.

Studying the stars had been very fun, you could see all of them thanks to the little light pollution around the castle. His teacher had liked his telescope, apparently they didn't see many muggle ones.

He had never had a green thumb, but Neville was great at herbology, he was an amazing help to him, Hannah and Hermione. In fact, he always looked forward to that lesson because he and his friends could hang out in a time that wasn't outside classes.

Jude was currently in history of magic, which was taught by a ghost in the most boring way a class could ever be taught, by just sitting there while he droned on. It was a shame really, Jude was interested, he just had to fight to stay awake, never mind listen. The only person that appeared to be listening was Hermione. Jude admired her enthusiasm and her ability to absorb information like a sponge, that kind of thing never came easy to him, he always has to read something twice. He looked over to his other two friends. Neville was fast asleep on the table while Hannah was doodling, he began to do the same. Then he over-heard a conversation on the table over.

"Of course he's real. He's been in most history books that have been published since then. We've grown up hearing his name."

"Then why isn't he here, huh? Harry Potter was supposed to start Hogwarts in our year. Isn't it weird that no one has even heard about him?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

Jude's heart sped up, then he took a deep breath, trying to get himself to calm down. 'They don't know, if you joined the conversation they may suspect you. Don't do anything, don't get involved.'

[PAGE BREAK]

The flying lesson had been fantastic. Jude was honestly considering trying out for the Quidditch team just to have an excuse to be up there in the clouds, soaring. It felt so good and he could now see why Draco was so bothered about not being able to have his own broom.

While describing this to Hermione and Neville at lunch, Hedwig swooped down with a short note. It said: who are the wizard police and how do I contact them? – mum.

The first thing that went through his head was panic. She was going to call the police on Dumbledore? Had she contacted him first? What was in the corridor? Plus similar thoughts.

Then he just accepted it. If his mum thought this was the right thing to do then he would back her up.

"Hey, guys?" Three yes' came. "Who are the wizarding police?"

Three sets of eyes looked oddly at him.

"What's it for?" Asked Hermione, eyeing the note.

"My mum wants to know. I think she's going to call them on the school."

"What!? Why!?" Neville and Hannah looked equally as shocked.

"I told her about how the headmaster said we would 'die a painful death' in the corridor. That doesn't sound like something you should have in a school full of children does it?"

"Y-yes, I suppose, but we should trust Professor Dumbledore! He's a great man and powerful wizard, there must be a reason for whatever is in there! You're mum can't go accus-"

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey... Hey. Hermione. My mum's not going to accuse him of anything. She just thinks there's something dangerous here and wants the police to check it out so she can relax. Professor Dumbledore isn't going to get into any trouble, okay?"

"...Okay. Sorry."

"It's alright."

"The police are the aurors, but I don't think they're the right people for the job," said Neville, "their job is to catch dark wizards. Your mum could sent a letter to the ministry of magic, asking for an auror's attention on the front and explain the problem. It will then get handed to the right department, but that could take a while."

"Thanks, Neville." He wrote a short note explaining this, and sent it off.

[PAGE BREAK]

Back in Surrey, Abby was looking over the letter Dumbledore had sent her back:

Dear Miss Day,

There is no need to worry about the third floor corridor, it merely contains some extra protection against outside forces. As long as the students stay away from there, as I have warned them, there will be nothing to worry about.

Thank you for your concern,

Headmaster Dumbledore of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

This letter disturbed her for many reasons. Firstly, she had asked to know what was in the corridor and she had not been answered, this suggested the headmaster was hiding something. Secondly, he had confirmed that the thing he had was dangerous to students, therefore it shouldn't be in a school. Thirdly, outside forces? What outside forces? He could of course, just mean general attacks like the ones you see on the news, but why have something that was dangerous to everyone?

She decided to call the police, they would be able to assess the situation and tell her if she was being silly. She had sent an owl to her son asking for their information a few hours ago. She sipped her tea and continued to mark homework, anxious for Hedwig to arrive. Finally, she did.

Abby jumped up from her chair and collected the note, giving Hedwig a treat. She gave out the most adorable hoot, Abby just wanted to cuddle her- 'No, Abby. Focus.'

She sat down at the table and wrote the address on the envelope to her already written letter. She then enclosed the letter the headmaster had sent her, sealed it , and gave it to Hedwig. She was off into the evening sky.

[FINAL BREAK]

Gman310508: Thank you! I do have an explanation for this, but I think I'll leave you to figure it out. I'm going to start hinting very soon within that story. Thank you for the comment!

Thanks for reading!


	11. Magical racist

At dinner, Jude read over the full letter his mum had sent him after the note:

Hey, Jude,

(Don't make it bad.)

It's great to hear about Hogwarts, it sounds like an amazing place, please do keep me updated.

It's a shame about the electricity, but keep your chin up, you still have your guitar. If it were me I'd find out why it doesn't work in Hogwarts and try to find away around it, what with science and all, no block is strong enough to keep you away from your music! (I should know). My interpretation is that magic can't exactly block electricity because electricity is how your heart beats. If magic blocked electricity then you would die every time you tried to cast a spell, it must work another way or the magic is kept away from your heart and other muscles. Go and prove me wrong/right.

I'm so glad you have a nice group of friends to look out for you. Play your cards right and they could be friends for life. I met your auntie Anne in high school after all.

Don't go near the third floor corridor like your headmaster said. Focus on your studies and don't worry, I promise I will get to the bottom of it and sort it. You will be the first to know everything.

Don't mind the horrible teachers, every school has at least one, but remember to report them if you think they are being unfairly nasty. If you feel as though your grades are lacking, speak to an older student or another professor about tutoring, I would be willing to pay if you think it will help.

I'm so proud of you, baby.

Love, mum.

Jude felt a fire of determination go up in his heart. His mum was right, he could figure out what was blocking the electricity and try to solve the problem. He was about to invite Hannah to the library when Hermione stormed to the Hufflepuff table with lots of conflicting emotions playing on her face; all bad ones.

"Hermione, whats-"

"Neville's in the hospital wing. He's broken his wrist!"

[PAGE BREAK]

"I can't believe I did that!"

"Don't worry Neville, everybody has a stupid accident at least once in their life."

"I cracked my collarbone trying to slide across a puddle of ice to the shops," said Jude.

Hannah laughed.

"But I have stupid accidents all the time!" He complained, " I wish I wasn't so clumsy."

"You'll grow out of it. For now, just try to be more cautious," offered Jude.

Neville rolled over in his cot.

Hermione turned to Jude while Hannah crouched down to console him some more. "Can I talk to you outside?"

"Sure."

Hermione peeked through the doors to make sure Neville wasn't listening.

"Can you come with me to see professor McGonagall?"

"Of course. What's wrong?"

"Malfoy has Neville's rememberall. He stole it after Neville fell off the broom. I want her to get it back for us."

"Why? I'm sure Draco's just keeping it for him, let's go and ask him for it now."

She grabbed his wrist as he started to move.

"No, Jude. We need to tell a teacher- Malfoy is a bully, he won't give it back. He called Neville horrible names after he had left and when someone told him to stop, his entire gang backed him up. I told him to give the rememberall back but he just jumped on his broom and flew very high." She looked very frustrated, tugging at her hair. Jude put a hand on her shoulder.

"Let me try and get it back first. Then we'll tell a teacher. Okay?"

Hermione looked like she really wanted to argue, but the resolve on Jude's face stopped her, "okay... But I'm coming with you!"

"Come on then."

"What? Right now?"

"Of course, lets go."

[PAGE BREAK]

After checking the great hall, the library and the field, they saw Draco heading towards the dungeons with Crabbe and Goyle. "Follow my lead," Jude said quietly to Hermione.

"Hey, Draco! Crabbe! Goyle! Can I talk to you for a sec?" He yelled down the corridor, jogging to catch up with them.

"Hello, Day," Draco grinned, then sneered when he spotted Hermione, "Really? A mudblood? When you were talking about making friends with anyone I thought you at least meant our kind."

Jude pulled a confused face. What was a mudblood?

"She is our kind? She's a witch."

"But she has non-magical blood. Born and raised by muggles, awful things."

Jude glared, "I was raised by muggles. How can you say she has non-magical blood? She has the highest grades in her classes, she's better than both of us at magic."

Draco's face went red in anger and his 'body guards' stiffened, as if getting ready to attack.

"She shouldn't be here! She hasn't been brought up to know our ways!"

"She's working hard to learn your ways. Besides, neither have I! You seem to think it's fine that I'm here."

"Your parents were witch and wizard, this is your heritage you muggle loving scumbag!"

"I only have one parent and she is a muggle! She is my heritage! Not some random adults I've never met! She's the one who raised me and taught me right from wrong, her parents are my grandparents and I will not stand here and let you insult an entire race of people you racist!"

His voice rose an octave on that last word, he flushed as he panted. Draco was glaring at him, if looks could kill he would be six feet under.

"Who were your parents?" Draco finally said.

"They're not my parents, they don't matter."

"Hah," Draco grinned, "I bet they were blood-traitor nobodies, just like you."

"So what if they were? I don't even know if they were."

"Then tell me who they were."

"No. It doesn't matter," he said, it sounded calmer that he felt. He was ashamed for losing it like that, but now he was back on track. "You have Neville's rememberall. Give it back." He was done asking.

"You want it? Who were your parents?"

"Why do you care?"

"I want to know how much your worth."

"Blood doesn't equal worth! You absolute idiot! If blood equal worth then how the heck is Hermione the head of our class? How do people move up in the world? How do people lose everything? It's people's actions that determine what their worth, and I've gotta' say, you aren't doing well at all in that respect. You may inherit a degree from your parents but that doesn't matter in the long run."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Then no rememberall. Unless you want to duel for it?" He grinned.

"Nope," Jude blanked.

"What!?"

"I'm a pacifist."

"A what?"

"Come on, Hermione. Let's go tell McGonagall."

"URGGG, FINE!" Draco threw the ball down the hallway, then turned and left with his lackeys trailing behind him.

[PAGE BREAK]

"Thanks, Jude," said Hermione.

"For what?"

"Standing up for me."

"Of course. He shouldn't be allowed to say stuff like that, nobody should let him, and I meant everything I said. You're very smart, you're going to go far in this world."

She beamed at him, her cheeks red.

"Now, I was wondering if you'd like to help me with a research project for my own interest."

"Oooh, do tell."

[FINAL BREAK]

mizzrazz72: I very much agree.

Thanks for reading!


	12. Homesick

Jude had been at Hogwarts for almost a month now. Draco and gang didn't give him many problems other that the occasional taunt or glare, which he ignored.

The research on how to get electricity to work in Hogwarts had come to a stand still. After Hermione started helping, Neville and Hannah got involved, it was a peaceful past-time for them. They had figured out that electricity and magic did indeed block each others function. Now Jude and friends were trying to figure out how they casted spells without their arm muscles failing, not to mention how magic can create lighting (as shown by a spell Hermione found).

It didn't make any sense. When they asked the older years they got more or less "what would you want to know about electrikity for?"

They decided they would ask a teacher when an opportunity presented it's self, but until then they would keep looking.

Speaking of peaceful past-times, the awesome foursome now had a sort of tradition. After dinner if they didn't have any homework, they would sit out by the lake, talking or reading, while Jude played his guitar.

It was a gorgeous view of the sun going down, and a moment of peace for them all, very tranquil as they gazed across the water.

The first few times, they all commented on how good Jude was at the guitar, but slowly it became a thing that they just knew, calming background noise as he plucked. They always made sure to leave with plenty of time before curfew; the castle was unpredictable.

This evening, as he ran his fingers over the strings, Jude felt particularly melancholy.

He missed his mum and his grandparents. He had never been away from them for this long before, and was starting to feel very homesick.

"Are you alright?" Asked Neville, which broke Hannah and Hermione's girly chatter.

"Yeah... Just a bit homesick is all," they all gave him patient smiles.

"I know how you feel, I miss my parents terribly," said Hannah.

"Me too," added Hermione, "we would all be sitting around the telly by now."

"What's a telly?" Asked Neville.

Hermione explained while Hannah gave Jude a hug. "Don't worry. It'll be Christmas before you know it."

"Thanks, Hannah," Jude noticed someone had been left out, "What about you Neville? Are you homesick?"

"Yeah, I miss my gran awful, but she always tells me I need to be braver."

"There's nothing un-brave about missing her."

"She seems to think so, she always wants me to be strong. It was horrible when she thought I was a muggle, she still loved me and took care of me but when it was mentioned I could see the disappointment.

But then I finally showed accidental magic and she cried, she was so happy. I have to be brave to become a strong wizard, like she wants me to be, like my parents were," he looked like he was desperately struggling, Jude hadn't realised how much was building inside him. Hannah hugged him from behind and Jude joined her, followed by Hermione.

"Neville, you are brave. It's brave to admit that you miss someone, it's brave to admit that you want to be better. You're in Gryffindor you silly goose."

"...I shouldn't have been. I told the hat not to put me there."

"And he did anyway! That's proof that you're braver than you know, and it doesn't matter if you had ended up a muggle, muggles are great! They have to do everything the hard way."

"Yeah, Neville," said Hermione, "you could have been a muggle gardener, it's a lot like herbology."

They heard Neville laugh, and pulled away. Hannah lingered.

"It's nice that you want to be brave for your gran, but remember to do stuff for yourself too," she told him, looking into his eyes. Neville gave a small smile.

"I will. Thanks Hannah. Thanks to all of you."

[PAGE BREAK]

The next day, Jude felt worse.

It was a gnawing feeling deep inside him, that something was very wrong. He wasn't with his family and he ached because of it. The worse part was, nothing seemed to cheer him up.

The dancing plants in the common room were no longer amazing, his friends no longer brightened the room, the thought of learning magic didn't make his face split ear to ear. He felt, empty, in a way he never had before.

He wrote a letter to his mum, struggling to hold back tears as he did so. He told her about what they had been learning, the research project, Snapes continuous and failing attempts to take house points, and that he missed her. A lot.

He also wrote a letter to his grandparents which was much vaguer, but had the same ending point. He knew his mum would make sure it got to them.

Although he couldn't get himself to cheer up, distractions were welcomed. His friends noticed immediately that something was wrong, he said it was the same thing as last night and didn't want to talk about it. So they kept the subject as far away from family as possible, shifting more towards school work. When Neville handed him his rememberall it turned red, he had forgotten his school books.

When trying to get into his common room he accidently tapped the wrong barrel and was doused in vinegar, causing him to be late to class and lose house points.

In transfiguration (smelling vaguely of vingar) he became very frustrated with being unable to get the avifors spell to work at all, while people around him had their objects sprouting feathers.

In potions, Snape flounced around like the giant bat he was. He seemed to notice Jude's heart wasn't in it that day, and used the opportunity to take house points, this only made Jude much more upset.

Peeves got him with a bucket of ice water during the break, a few people chuckled and that nearly made him snap.

Jude at this point was seriously considering just faking illness. He'd had enough, he just wanted to hide forever. The only thing that dragged him into charms was Hannah's insistence that it would be better, and Hermione's hate of skiving.

In charms, they were learning to cast lumos solem. A charm like the wand lighting charm, but it makes a small concentrated beam that is slightly warm. The charm was harder to cast than lumos, which was probably why Jude was having trouble with it.

But then again, it could be because Draco was pelting him with paper balls whenever Flitwick looked away.

"Hey, Day," paper ball, "having trouble with the spell?" paper ball, "you should go running to your mudblood friend and get her to help you," paper ball.

Hannah had offered to tell Flitwick after the first two. Jude had declined, he didn't want to look like he would always go to teachers, he had already done it once, it was just taunting material, besides he could handle this. Now, halfway into the lesson, a small pile of paper was generating under his desk and he was starting to get really angry.

'Just don't look at him Jude. Don't give him any attention. He'll get bored and stop eventually.'

Thwam!

He had been hit right in the forehead with a small compact book. Before he knew what he was doing, he was on his feet.

"What's your problem!?"

"Mr Day!" Came a squeaky but loud voice. The entire class was looking at him, judging and whispering. Pofessor Flitwick wore a frown. Draco was grinning, his gang was snickering.

He burst into tears.

It was all too much.

Before the horror could set in, he was lead away by the arm. Professor Flitwick told them to keep practising and that they'll be in his office if he was needed.

Jude couldn't stop crying, it was awful. Like he was a child again, the hiccups didn't stop. Not even when he was sat down in a comfortable chair before professor Flitwick's desk, his high-pitched voice taking on a soft tone, trying to calm him down.

Jude sobbed into his hands, he didn't want anyone to see him like this. Professor Flitwick called his name, he looked up. Six cupcakes were doing a merry jigg on the desk. This confused him enough to stop the hysterics. He looked to Flitwick, who was standing on a stool and beamed as he tapped his wand with the imaginary music that the cupcakes were dancing to. It was just so bizarre that Jude gave out a chuckle. Flitwick started to sway comically with them.

When the cupcakes gave a finishing bow, he clapped as he sniffled, the tears had stopped. One flew over to rest in his lap.

"For you," said professor Flitwick, he climbed onto the chair behind his desk.

"T-thank you," his voice cracked a bit.

"You're welcome. Now do tell me. What's gotten' you into such a tizzy?"

Jude decided not telling teachers was going out of the window, Draco was an arse and deserved everything coming to him.

"Draco was throwing paper at me for most of the lesson. I got up and shouted because he finished by throwing a book."

"Why did you not tell me, Mr Day? I am here to help."

"I know that. I just didn't want him to call me a teachers pet or anything. I thought if I ignored him he would stop."

"That is usually the case, Mr Day. Although if it becomes too much, you must tell an adult. Whether it be me or your head of house or another teacher."

"Okay, sir. I'll do that from now on."

"Good."

Jude took a bite into the cupcake. It was vanilla with buttercream icing on top. He hurried to chew it: his nose was blocked from crying. Flitwick was studying him with an odd look. Suddenly it was gone, and replaced by one of concern.

"Why did you get so upset, Mr Day? If you had explained the situation to me I would have forgiven your outburst," asked professor Flitwick, carefully almost.

Jude sighed, "It hasn't been my day. Everything just build up, it became too much and I just... broke down."

"Oh dear. We all have bad days. Maybe I could help?"

"It's just little things, sir. I got doused in ice water and vinegar this morning, professor Snape kept taking house points , and I really miss home."

"Ah, homesickness is it? If you would like I can arrange to have your family visit?"

Jude jumped up, "you would do that?"

"Of course. It makes it a little harder since they're from the muggle world, but I can send them a letter and arrange a date."

"Oh, thank you, sir!"

Flitwick smiled, "my pleasure." He pulled out a piece of parchment and started writing, Jude watched him.

He had never seen professor Flitwick up close before, he had some strange features, familiar and pointy. Then it hit him.

"Um... Professor?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Ask away."

Jude took a deep breath.

"I'm really sorry if this comes across as rude, I'm just curious but," he swallowed, "are you part goblin?"

Flitwick continued to write for a few seconds, then spoke, "if I am to answer questions about my heritage, will you answer questions about yours?" He asked, making eye contact with a very serious look.

Jude considered this and agreed. He didn't know why, but he felt like he could trust Professor Flitwick.

"Yes, I have goblin ancestry," said Flitwick, shutting his eyes.

"Wow!"

He opened them.

Jude continued, "that's so cool, goblins are so interesting!"

"You think so?"

"Yes! I have a book about goblins in my trunk. They have such an interesting way of life and view on laws. Even their definition of right and wrong is slightly different to ours. When I first saw them in Gringotts I knew I had to learn all I could."

Flitwick laughed, "you would have done well in Ravenclaw. I'm glad you think this way about them, I'll be happy to answer any questions you have. First, however, you look very much like a young man I used to teach at the school, James Potter was his name." Flitwick appeared to be looking for any change in facial expressions.

"Yep. That's my dad."

Flitwick fell off his chair with a squeak, "I knew it! I told Pomona! Oh, you're the spitting image of your father, and you have your mother's eyes."

"So I've been told," smiled Jude, "but please, don't tell anyone. Not even this Pomona person."

Flitwick smiled, "your secrets safe with me."

[FINAL BREAK]

Pottersparky: I do agree with you. I think Ron sat next to Harry on the train because he was the boy-who-lived. Now that there is none of the rumours, he had no reason not to stay with his brothers (other than the spider, but I think he would have just waited outside). After this, however, I believe he realised Harry was a Regular boy, just like him and they became true friends. I am still unsure as to if I should give Ron more of a spotlight in this story, he won't one of the original four, but he could be closer to them.

I agree that a lot of Dumbledore's choices could get people killed but I do believe he has always had the best interests at heart (he's just rather old and stubborn). As to whether Jude would walk to his death... you'll just have to wait and see. I will keep pumping chapters out, thanks for the review!

mizzrazz72: Hello again! Have you ever met high school girls? They go everywhere in twos or threes. I should know, I was one of them, especially when I gained friends. I still do it now and I'm in college, even if it's to somewhere trivial like to see a teacher.

Even if Hermione doesn't have this mind set, she's only been in Hogwarts a week. McGonagall is a stern, scary woman who could most definitely kill a man. She's awesome. Hermione would want to bring a friend with her for moral support. Thanks for the question!

Jathagarth: Thank you very much. I will admit, I am a sucker for a manipulative Dumbledore story, but I, myself struggle to see him that way. So right now I can tell you that I do not plan to make Dumbledore manipulative, however, the story is not entirely planned out, in order to give me more creative freedom, so I cannot tell you 100% that he won't do something manipulative. I hope you will give the rest of my story a go, as this is only a small chance. Thanks for the review!

Thanks for reading!


	13. Why can't we be friends?

Jude and Professor Flitwick talked while Filtwick wrote several letters.

Jude found him to be a very nice man. When Flitwick heard that he loved music he offered him a place in the frog choir that he conducted. Jude had laughed at the name and said he would love to.

Several questions about goblins popped up, all answered patiently. Jude even got to ask about how people can cast spells if electricity inhibits magic. Flitwick had admitted that he didn't know anything about that, but suggested that Jude should go and ask madam Pomfrey.

They returned to the classroom before the hour was up somehow. It felt to Jude as though they had been talking for hours.

He was determined not to look at Draco as he returned to his seat next to Hannah. To his surprise someone else was sitting there. A girl with ginger hair, Susan, he thought her name was. He vaguely remembers Hannah glaring at her in the corridor and her glaring back. However, to his surprise, right now they were getting along like a house on fire; talking and laughing.

In the corner of his eye, Jude saw Flitwick pull Draco outside to "have a private word." Jude grabbed an empty seat and put it next to Hannah.

"Hello girls! What are we talking about?" He announced.

"Oh, Jude!" Exclaimed Hannah, "I was so worried, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm okay now. Just had a bit of a melt-down. Who's your friend?"

The ginger girl held her hand out, "I'm Susan Bones. Are you sure you're okay? I saw what Malfoy was doing."

Jude took it and kissed the back, "Jude Day. Yes, don't worry, that's passed now. Excuse me for asking, but I thought you two didn't like each other?"

Oh! No, no," said Hannah. "We've been best friends since we were babies. We just had a fight on the train is all."

"The longest fight we've ever had," added Susan, "I didn't think we were going to make up. I'm so sorry Hannah, it's all that Weasely's fault."

"No! Susan, I'm sorry. It was my fault. I let him sit with us and I let him get to me."

"What happened?" Asked Jude.

"Well," began Susan, "Ron Weasley wanted to stay with his brothers but they were all in the carriage with the big spider-"

"There was a big spider?"

"Yeah. Someone brought their pet tarantula onto the train. Anyway, Ron was clearly terrified of this thing so we asked if he wanted to come and sit with us."

"Um, then I asked him if he was afraid of spiders," continued Hannah, "and he started getting defensive so I teased him a bit and he went in to a grump. So me and Susan started talking and he started butting in, saying that I was gullible and poking fun at me. I didn't like it and realised what I had done to him so I apologised, but he got the last word."

"And I sort of took Ron's side..." Said Susan. "I told Hannah that Ron was right, she was gullible, and then Hannah stated saying mean stuff to me and that turned into a full on fight."

"With violence?"

"No!" They said together.

"I'd never hit her," said Susan.

"Me neither," said Hannah.

"Good. I'm glad you're both friends again then. It would be a shame to let such a friendship end like that," smiled Jude, "Susan, you are welcome to join our little group, as well as any friends of yours."

Susan grinned, "thanks."

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude felt a lot happier now that he knew his family was going to visit. It was like a weight had been lifted from his chest. When it became lunch time, he ran all the way to the Hufflepuff dormitories to grab his guitar. Then he sat down in the great hall, surrounded by old friends and new ones.

Turns out Susan had a pretty big circle herself. Sitting with them was: Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Zacharias Smith. As well as Susan, of course.

Nothing warmed his heart more. All these people, making an effort to be friends of the others friends so they could all sit together. It was really sweet. Hermione and Susan seemed to be hitting it off, Justin and Neville were having a rather awkward conversation about herbology, Hannah was talking to Zacharias and Jude himself was telling Ernie about his guitar.

Ernie struck Jude as a very honest person, especially when he made it clear that the writing on his guitar was not only sweet and cheesy, it was also down-right tacky. Jude took it in good humour.

Just then, Draco rose with his goons from the Slytherin table and walked towards their small gang. Jude's heart raced, he didn't know what he would do.

They stopped, just in front of the table, so Jude was facing them. Draco sneered and announced very loudly: "Done sobbing like a baby, Day? Maybe you should run to your filthy mud-blood parents. Oh wait! They're dead."

Woo. That was a low blow.

Jude looked around. All his friends were poised as if they were to pounce on Draco, even the new ones. 'Wow, not many people like this guy.' Thought Jude.

He had to do something before his friends did, that would make it look like he was hiding behind them and then they would become targets, he'd played this game before. He was very tempted to just snap at him to go away, but that would be rising to the bait. Maybe going for friendship, even if Jude didn't want it anymore, was the best option. It fit with his morals, he didn't want to be aggressive.

So, in a moment of genius, Jude did what he did best. He stood up on his chair, whipped his guitar into a comfortable position, and played while singing a well known funky tune:

"Why can't we be friends!?

Why can't we be friends!?"

The entire hall turned to look at him, but he kept going, enjoying the surprised looks of the people around him.

"Why can't we be friends?

"Why can't we be friends?"

He locked eyes with Draco, who looked very surprised and was just kind of standing there, unsure of what to do.

"I've seen you 'round for a long, long time.

I really 'membered when you drink my wine."

Draco seemed to snap back to reality. He folded his arms and pouted. Jude laughed in between lyrics and prepared for the chorus again:

"Why can't we be friends?"

To Jude's surprise people at the Gryffindor table began to join in.

"Why can't we be friends?

Why can't we be friends?

Why can't we be friends?"

By the last line some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had sung too. There was stars in Jude's eyes. He jumped off the chair and over the table towards Draco.

"I seen you walkin' down in Chinatown."

He did a bouncy and jutty walk to the music around Draco. It got quite a few laughs out of the people around him, although, that may just be the face Draco was making.

"I called ya but you could not loook arooouunnd."

Jude heard half the hall take a breath.

"Why can we be friends!?"

Just like that, most of the tables were singing and Jude was laughing so hard at Draco's face he felt his own might split.

"Why can't we be friends!?

Why can't we be friends!?"

'Oh my gosh. Even some of the Slytherins are joining,' thought Jude as he observed this miracle.

"Why can't we be friends!?

I bring my money to the welfare line."

Not many people seemed to know the words. When the verses started most people went quiet. Jude focused on Draco again who was walking away.

"I see you standing in it, everyyyy timeeee!"

He sang as he swung round in front of Draco. His face was red; anger? Excitement? Embarrassment? Jude didn't know why, but he wanted this to be a somewhat good experience. As he finished the last note on his guitar he slung it over his shoulder and held out a hand for Draco to take.

The hall roared:

"WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS!?"

Jude wasn't sure he'd ever seen someone look so confused before as he eyed the hand, but Draco didn't seem unwilling. So Jude grabbed his and swung it over his head so he did a spin.

"WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS!?"

Draco's face went a deeper shade of red and he seemed very annoyed. Jude laughed and ran to the other end of the hall. Draco followed. Crabbe and Goyle just stood there looking confused, but they bobbed slightly to the music.

"WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS!?

WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS!?"

Jude skidded to a stop at the end and pulled his guitar off his back again. The hall went into a lull for the verse.

"The colour of your skin don't matter to me!"

Draco was getting closer.

"As long as we can live in harmonyyyy!"

Jude held that note with his voice while he slung his guitar once more. He thought Draco was going to run into him with that crazed look in his eye, so Jude held his arms out in front of himself to take most of the force.

He felt Draco grab his hand.

"WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS!?"

Jude was spun round in very much the same manner and almost fell over. Draco laughed at him.

"WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS!?"

WHY CAN'T WE B-"

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?" Shouted Professor McGonagall in the scariest tone you've ever heard.

"I can hear you all from the other end of the school! Who is responsible for this noise!?"

Jude slowly put his hand up.

"Mr Day. Follow me please."

[FINAL BREAK]

Hello! I'm so Sorry for the delay! I took a break for exams, but now I'm back.

Guests – I completely agree with all of your suggestions and I'm trying very hard. Thanks to one of you for pointing out what was wrong with a previous chapter, that has been fixed now. Also, where did you hear of the pattrinus charm? I don't remember it from the books and I can't find it on the wiki.

Pottersparky – No problem, thank you so much for the review!

Mazzax – definitely next year. That's a very cool and creative idea about how it works. I would read the heck out of a fic that applied it to the world. Also, your second idea is very close to what I am going for, just be patient ;).

Also! Does anyone have any songs that they want Jude to play? Tell me! As long as they are time period appropriate. CAN'T have Jude playing a song from 2018.

Thanks for reading!


	14. Magic and electricity

McGonagall was actually rather understanding when Jude told her they were just having a sing along. However, she gave him specific instruction that if he was to do it again, he was to either have permission from a staff member or to do it outside. Apparently Dumbledore had been in a very important meeting, and hearing children shout-singing from across the school didn't give a good impression.

Needless to say, Jude brought his guitar to the great hall for every meal, but refrained from singing; instead he just played tunes.

Several people he didn't even know had come up to him and either told him how wicked fun that stunt in the great hall was, or just to complement his guitar playing. Now fully comfortable with playing his guitar everywhere in Hogwarts and the initial awe of magic having worn off, Hermione was getting increasingly annoyed with how little effort he put into studying and homework and the amount he put into his guitar playing. Jude always made sure to put maximum effort into potions though. Snape seemed to hate his guts and he did not want to find out what happens when he was the sole loser of house points.

Draco had been behaving weirdly since the stunt. He seemed to just... watch Jude and his friends whenever he got the chance. He hadn't said anything to them yet, but his facial expressions were usually rather unreadable, at least they weren't hostile.

Jude was in defence against the dark arts, and once again had a raging headache.

'I will go and see madam Pomfrey straight after this,' he promised himself for the umpteenth time. He always seemed to get distracted. Although, this time he was sure he would remember; he needed to ask her about magic and electricity.

Professor Quirrell was trying to demonstrate a stance for duelling, but he kept shaking and messing up for some reason. Some of the class were chuckling under their breath as he slipped again. Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Professor Dumbledore.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Professor," he said, making no move to come inside.

"Nnn-no don't w-worry headmaster D-Dumbledore. Www-what c-can I do for y-you?"

Dumbledore took a step in.

"You weren't at the staff meeting last night and you missed some rather important information. Some aurors will be doing an inspection on the first of November."

Quirrell looked rather taken aback.

"An inspection?"

"Yes, Professor Quirrell. They're just helping some parent's concerns, nothing to be worried about. I just want you to be aware. As for the rest of you," he directed his eyes to the class, "there will be an announcement about this at dinner, but I expect you all to be on your best behaviour. If they ask you a question, you are to answer it truthfully. Good day to you all."

He gave a nod and then left.

Quirrell seemed to be in some kind of shock. He didn't move from his place for several minutes. He didn't even stir until a student called his name. Then he went right back to "teaching" as if nothing had even happened.

The weird thing was: during those few minutes Jude's headache became close to unbearable and eased when Quirrell came back to reality. Jude raised his hand and asked to go to the nurse, still reeling.

[PAGE BREAK]

On his way up, Jude's headache had all but disappeared. He was starting to wonder if maybe this was a magic thing. He was pretty sure allergies didn't act like what he was experiencing.

He knocked on the door to the hospital wing and heard a "come in."

Upon entering, madam Pomfrey was bustling around in her office at the end of the room. All of the beds were empty except one, which contained a Gryffindor student he had never met before. He took a leisurely pace towards the back, madam Pomfrey had emerged by the time he got there.

"Good afternoon, Mr Day. What can I do for you?"

"Two things actually, if you're not busy?"

"I'm always busy, but there is always time for students. What can I help you with?"

"Um... well. I've been suffering with a lot of headaches recently, but they only seem to happen when I'm in Professor Quirrell's class or sometimes when he's around. I think I might be allergic to something he wears."

"That may be the case Mr Day, but it sounds very unusual. Sit down for me and let me cast some diagnostic spells."

Jude hopped up onto a bed as madam Pomfrey began swirling her wand in complicated motions and muttering words.

"Have you had a stiff neck recently?"

"No."

"Have you felt weak or numb anywhere?"

"No."

"Trouble seeing, speaking or walking?"

"Nope."

"Nausea, vomiting, fainting or confusion?"

"I experience confusion everyday in class," Jude joked, "but, no, none of those things."

"Any swelling?"

"No."

Madam Pomfrey proceeded to ask more questions of this nature until she finally told Jude what she had found.

"I'm sorry, Mr Day, but I can't figure out what's causing it. It's clearly not an allergy headache and there is nothing unusual about your person. The diagnostic spells tell me you're perfectly healthy. Maybe you've just been dehydrated?"

Jude frowned, "yeah, maybe."

"Keep drinking water and if it occurs again come and see me immediately. We'll discuss other possible causes and I may have to refer you to Saint Mungo's."

"What's that?"

"A wizarding hospital. They will be able to do other tests that I cannot."

"Oh."

She then bristled back into her office and pulled out a book. She brought it with her and started reporting what Jude had told her.

"The other thing, deary?" She asked while writing.

"Oh, yes. I have a question about how magic works, Professor Flitwick told me to ask you."

"I'll answer it if I can, but I'm not very good with magic theory." She nodded for him to continue.

"You know when you cast a spell?"

"Yes?"

"Magic travels down your arm to your wand. But in a book, I read that magic inhibits electricity, and our limbs move by electricity. So I'm just very confused as to how we can cast spells without our arms going numb."

She took a breath and stopped writing, "that book has phrased it all wrong. Raw magic inhibits electricity, when that magic is focused with the meaning we give it or just focused into specific points, electricity can flow happily with it or against it."

"Huh. That's interesting. You wouldn't know where I can get more information on this do you?"

"There's none in the library?"

"No, I've checked."

"Wait there."

She strode back into her office and rustling could be heard. A few minutes later, she emerged with several books.

"Here you are, deary. I expect those back sometime before you leave. I'm sure Flourish and Blotts have most of these so if you like them you can have your own."

Jude was over-joyed.

"Thank you, madam Pomfrey!"

[FINAL BREAK]

Thanks for reading!

Mizzrazz72 – Indeed he isn't, but he is an 11 year-old boy.

Shoguncaw – soon :D

Nanettez – Huh. I always thought it was just a boys name?


	15. Family Visit

On the twentieth of October, Jude was sat in a room in Hogwarts he had never been in before.

The room was furnished like an old lady's house, with a very complicated patterned rug and old wall paper of autumn colours. The chairs were similar in style, covered in pearls for decoration and arranged in a circle around a glass table. Surprisingly, there were no portraits in this room, and at the back was the biggest fire place he'd ever seen.

Professor Flitwick was sitting by his side, explaining the fire place.

"So we can talk and travel to any house in Britain connected to the floo network using floo powder. I sent a letter to the ministry to hook your fire place up temporarily, so your mother can get here and back quickly."

"Thank you so much, Professor Flitwick!"

"You are very welcome, my boy. She should be coming through any minute now. Sandwich?"

The platter of finger sandwiches, biscuits and drinks did look awfully good.

"I think I'm going to wait for my mum first, thanks."

"Of course. You're a charming lad. Do you mind if I talk to your mother about your charms work?"

Jude laughed, "as long as it's good things."

Flitwick grinned, "of course."

[PAGE BREAK]

A few minutes later, the fire flickered green and out fell a woman of wild hair, purple glasses and a freckly face. She managed to catch herself just before she went over and pulled herself upright.

"Mum!" She was almost knocked over again as Jude pounced on her. She snorted and held him close.

"I've missed you too, sweetheart. Let's get out of the way of the fire." They shuffled along, Jude still holding onto her for dear life. Abby chuckled here and there as she had to drag him the last few spaces. Unfortunately, she was a tiny person and Jude was almost her height so it was harder than it should have been.

The flames glowed green again and out tumbled a woman with very dark red-brown hair and freckles coating her person.

"Nan!"

"No! Not right now, sweety. Nana has to catch her breath," she huffed from her position on the floor.

"Mum! Why is she here? What about the stature of secrecy?"

"She's family too. After I convinced her I wasn't joking she called me a mad woman for sending you here and demanded to come and visit you too."

The fire glowed green a third time and a cheeky face with wild dark brown hair shot out of the fire and skidded a few steps. Only to roar:

"My grandson's a wizard," in an amazed high-pitched voice with his arms up. He flung round and grinned a wide and child-like grin. Jude hadn't seen him like this before, but he's heard his mum talk about it. His grandad had always been a big kid at heart, Jude had first realised this when the man had been playing with fireworks on a bonfire night years ago.

It was Jude's turn to get almost knocked over. His grandad scooped him up and placed him on his hip as if he was a toddler, bouncing around the room singing: "my grandson's a wizard! My grandson's a wizard!"

He stopped In his tracks when he noticed Flitwick and put Jude down rather quickly. A bright red dusted his cheeks as he coughed. The he strode over with his hand out to the grinning Flitwick.

"Good morning. I'm John Day, Jude's grandfather. This is my wife, Claire, and our daughter Abby."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr and Mrs Day. Miss Day, it's nice to meet you in person."

They all thanked him, nan looked very wary of him though. When they sat down and began talking about his charms work the look was quickly lost.

"He's a very hard-working young lad, although he seems to not be putting as much effort in recently."

"Jude-"

"I'm sorry, at least I get all my work in on time."

Eventually, his grandad was tired of teacher talk and wanted a demonstration done by Jude. Jude listen all the charms he knew and asked them to pick.

Half an hour later he had demonstrated all the charms he knew to a very excited audience: lumos, lumos solem, nox (the wand extinguishing charm) and spongify.

Flitwick was very pleased with him, while his perplexed family were handing around the book he had turned into a pillow. It was very bizarre to see a book and expect it to be solid but to find it squishes quite easily.

"Fantastic, Jude," his mother praised.

"This is weird," commented his nan.

Flitwick rose from the seat. "It was lovely to meet you all but I have some duties to attend to. You'll be fine using the floo on your own?"

"Yes, thank you. It's been a pleasure, Professor Flitwick."

Hands were shaken and the tiny teacher took his leave.

The rest of their visit was spent talking about the school and how Jude was settling in. Abby was happy to hear that the aurors were doing as she had requested, she supposed they would send her a letter once the inspection had been complete.

Jude told them about Draco and Snape and the no electricity problem (which he was getting closer to solving). He also told them about his friends, his common room and his stunt in the great hall. His nan was mortifieda whereas Abby and his grandad laughed.

Abby kissed him on the forehead and told him the she was proud of him. Grandad told him that it wasn't the way he would deal with a racist but that works too. Nan told him that he should "report the little bugger at the next possible chance."

He was very happy to see them all.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude and his now massive friend group were sitting in the library.

Jude hated and liked the library at the same time.

He hated it because if madam Prince caught him with his guitar in there she would confiscate it for the rest of the day. He liked it because information on magic, duh.

Hermione was tutoring the rather large group and switching between subjects. The Hufflepuff's were doing potions and the Gryffindors (Neville and Hermione) were doing charms. While completing his homework, Jude noticed that Neville was struggling with the softening charm and Hermione was being rather bossy about it.

"No, Neville! The wand movement is more like an 'S' but you stop at your centre. Try again."

"Spongify."

"You talk too quietly! Say it louder!"

"Spongify!"

"You got the hand movements wrong again!"

Jude decided to help. Hermione always had her intentions in the right place, but she was down-right scary sometimes.

"'Minone, please stop being so hard on him. He's trying his best. Why don't you carry on with your studying and I'll help him for a while?"

A frazzled and frustrated face tightened before saying "fine."

[PAGE BREAK]

Twelve tries later Neville still couldn't get it right.

"I'm always the last in the class to get it, I'm hopeless."

"No you're not, Neville. Chin up, you can do it. Charms just isn't your thing."

He sighed, tears in his eyes.

"I'm never going to be a strong wizard like my dad..."

"Hey, hey, hey. Sure you are! Hard-work trumps natural talent any day! And I just know you're going to try harder than anyone I know."

"This was my dad's wand," he said, holding it up with a lost look in his eyes, "I'm his son, why am I not anything like him?"

"Your dad's wand?" Butted in Hermione from the other side of the table. "The wand chooses the wizard, Neville. You could be having trouble because that one's not right for you."

"Oh, yeah! You should get a new wand, Nev."

Neville sniffled.

"My Gran's going to be so disappointed in me. My dad's wand hasn't chosen me," he wept, but desperately tried to hide it.

Cue Hufflepuffs doing Hufflepuff things. All of them surrounded him (including Jude) and hugged him or patted him on the shoulder, telling him things that might cheer him up.

"Honestly Neville. I'm sure she'll understand if you just tell her that the wand chooses the wizard and that one didn't choose you. Write a letter to Ollivander for back up, this is your education that's at stake here!" Said Hermione, louder than all of the comforting voices.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right, Hermione. Thanks."

"You're welcome, Neville. I can help you get started on a draft now if you want?"

"Yes, please."

[FINAL BREAK]

Thanks for reading guys! At the end of year 1 I'm going to go back over all of the previous chapters and fix them. I am honestly not a fan of how I've written Hermione before this point.

Nanette – honestly, what other house would this Harry be in? XD

Sherry – Thank you for all the compliments and I agree with your points.

Mackiechandler – Thank you very much! And yes he can, you'll just have to be patient

Mizzrazz72 – maybe. Who knows with him?

Northmanlv – Thank you very much! And that can be arranged, it will probably be in year 2 or onwards though. Thanks for reading!


	16. The Troll

Jude woke up on Halloween morning to the delicious smells of pastries drifting through the castle.

Today had always been a day to celebrate, it was the day his mum found him and they became such huge parts of each others lives. But it felt weird to celebrate for that reason at Hogwarts. It may have been the night the war ended, but it was also the night he lost his biological parents. It felt wrong to completely forget them.

He was sitting in the courtyard with some of their group, taking a few minutes to try and remember them, before getting ready to move to the great hall for the feast. Neville shook Jude out of his thoughts.

"Jude?"

"Yeah, Nev?"

"Have you seen Hermione, today?"

"Yeah, I saw her at lunch."

"I'm getting worried. Nobody has seen her all afternoon."

"What? Do you know where she could have gone?"

"No. She disappeared after charms and I don't know why."

"Is something wrong?" Asked Hannah from the other end of the fountain.

"Hermione is missing. Could you go to the feast and see if she's there? Me and Nev will go and check the Gryffindor common room."

"Of course. Come on, Susan!"

"Coming!"

[PAGE BREAK]

"So the Gryffindor common room is behind this painting?"

"Yeah, there's a password to get in that you have to tell the fat lady."

Said lady waved at him, Jude waved back. He covered his ears and looked away while Neville gave her the password.

"Why'd you do that? It's going to be changed anyway."

"'s only respectful."

The portrait swung open.

"You're a strange one, Jude," Neville grinned.

The Gryffindor common room felt very royal to Jude. Golds and reds were very common and fireplaces roared next to old furniture and grand paintings.

Neville ran up to the left staircase leading off the room.

"Hermione! Hermione!?" He shouted.

"Who's there?" Said a voice that wasn't Hermione. Neville immediately motioned to Jude to get out of the common room, he could hear someone walking down the steps.

Jude shot out of the painting. He didn't know if he was allowed in there and didn't really want to find out unless it was a hypothetical question to a teacher. He slotted himself by the side of the painting and waited.

"What are you doing there?" Asked the fat lady.

"I'm waiting for Neville."

"Ahh. Do you want me to get him?"

"No, thank you Miss?"

"Oh, just call me the fat lady. Everybody else does."

That didn't feel right to Jude, but who was he to argue. "Okay."

A few minutes later a girl Jude had seen around but had never talked to left the painting, followed by Neville. He ran over to Jude.

"Fey just told me that Hermione's been crying in the girls bathroom all afternoon and wanted to be left alone."

Jude's stomach dropped. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude knocked twice, loudly on the toilet door.

"Hermione? Hermione, are you in there?"

He and Neville heard a quick and stuttered intake of breath, then a scratchy voice:

"Jude?" She sounded very small. Jude's heart broke a little.

"And Neville. Why don't you come out and tell us what's wrong," he suggested, keeping his voice calm and happy sounding.

"It's alright. You two go and enjoy the feast, I'll be with you in a second." They heard a sniffle.

Neville spoke up, "Hermione, we've been really worried about you. Please tell us what's wrong."

There was a pause. Then: "It's stupid."

"It's not stupid if it's upset you," Jude quickly countered, "please come out."

They heard a sigh, then a click, and out she stepped, looking as tiny as she sounded. Her face was puffy and red. She didn't meet their eyes.

Jude instantly gave into his screaming brain and hugged her. She immediately latched onto him, tears fell with no noise. Neville joined after Jude pulled back to let him in.

"What happened?" Asked Neville into her shoulder.

"It's silly. After charms Ron Weasely was talking to Seamus Finnigan about me and I listened in. He said that I was a nightmare and horribly bossy, and that you're all probably just pretending to be friends with me to get good grades."

"You're right," said Jude, pulling away with his hands on her shoulders, "that is silly. We would never pretend to be friends with you just for grades, I don't get great grades even with your help. We like you for you, 'Mione."

Neville nodded as she wiped her eyes. When she looked up it was with a small smile, "you're all so cheesy I don't know how I tolerate this."

"Err, It's clearly because you love us," stated Jude.

"Yeah," laughed Neville. Hermione opened her mouth to do the same, but instead they heard:

"What are you all doing here!?" They turned to see Snape looming over them. Neville squeaked.

"Sorry- sorry, Professor. We were looking for Hermione. We'll- we'll go to the feast now," stuttered a nervous Jude.

"No you won't. A troll has been spotted in the dungeons. All three of you follow me quickly." The trio's minds raced. How did a troll get into the castle?

"Yessir," came from the three at once, then they all felt as though they were going to be sick. A rotten smell came from down the corridor, even Snape looked a bit green. A dragging sound could be heard getting closer. Snape strode in front of the three, giving a glare over his shoulder.

"Run."

You didn't have to tell them twice.

[PAGE BREAK]

"Where are we going!?" Yelled Neville.

"We have to find a teacher!" Shouted Jude.

"No! We have to get to safety!" shot Hermione.

All three of them simultaneously decided that Hermione was the voice of reason here (supported by several past events).

"Who's common room is closest?" Breathed Neville, starting to get tired.

"Mine! Follow me!" Said Jude, darting to the front.

Then they heard a shout. Neville skidded to a stop, "that was Professor Snape!"

"He can handle himself, Neville. We need to keep moving!" Said Hermione.

"What if he's hurt? The troll could kill him."

"All the more reason we should get someone who can help him, like a teacher," said Jude.

Neville bit his lip and looked to the way they came. Then he said, "you two go and get a teacher, I'm going to check on Professor Snape. I promise I won't get in the way if they're fighting." Then he darted down the corridor.

"Neville!" Screamed Hermione who ran after him.

Jude bounced on the spot, considering his options. He decided he would be better with his friends and took off in their direction.

[PAGE BREAK]

Neville slowed to a halt just before Hermione. When she stopped behind him she was about to give him an earful, hze covered her mouth and gestured around the corner. Hermione, panting,red and more than annoyed, muttered "why did you have to pick now of all times to be a Gryffindor."

Jude papped her on the shoulder in a 'shame on you' way and announced , "because someone's life may be in danger."

"Yeah, our own," hissed Hermione.

Neville smiled at Jude then eyed Hermione before looking around the corner. They noticed he was shaking, it was taking a lot for him to do this.

They heard him gasp and then he ran out, shouting.

Jude jogged after him while Hermione peered like Neville had done.

The troll was standing over an unconscious Snape and beginning to raise it's club. Neville had saved the man by seconds, catching the trolls attention so it swivelled and began heading for him. He turned white.

Jude grabbed Neville's hand and dragged him away from Hermione, "go and get a teacher!"

"I can't just leave you here!" She shouted.

"Yes you can! Go!" He watched as the mountain of frizz disappeared from the corner.

Not noticing where he was leading the frozen Neville, he had backed them into a corner between two suits of armour. They were trapped with the troll quickly approaching, Jude cursed. He put Neville behind himself as he stared down the troll, what could he do?

He did a mental check of the spells he knew, nothing useful, then what he had on him: just his guita-

"That's it," he gasped to himself. He pulled his guitar off his back after pushing away Neville's shaking fingers. 'This probably can't make the situation any worse," he thought, then did a slow strum.

The troll stopped in front of them, way too close for comfort, and cocked it's head. Jude began began to pluck a slow lullaby, the troll didn't break eye contact. The song didn't seem to be doing anything but confusing it, at least he could stall for time.

"It's okay now, Neville," Jude whispered, not wanting to break the trolls trance. "Hermione will be here soon with teachers." He felt Neville's death grip on his cloak loosen. "This is so crazy, I can't believe you've done this," he continued, "this is the bravest thing I've even seen anyone do and you've probably saved professor Snape's life. I don't want to hear anymore about you not begin good enough or brave enough, the proof is in the pudding," he smiled.

He heard a small, nervous chuckle from behind him. Then clattering feet could be heard approaching. The troll jerked around only to hear "stupefy!" in two different voices and then repeated.

The toll fell forwards (thankfully) with a thump. Behind it stood Professor McGonagall and Quirrell. Quirrell took one look at the troll and sat down with his eyes closed, giving out small whimpering sounds. Professor McGonagall quickly hurried over to Snape. She waved her wand around a bit while muttering, and then sighed in relief, "just a concussion." Jude nudged Neville, he sighed.

McGonagall suddenly rounded on them looking furious. Neville squeaked and grabbed onto Jude's robes again.

"What on earth were you thinking of!? You're lucky you weren't killed! If Miss Granger hadn't found me you would have been! Why weren't you all in your dormitories!?"

Jude stepped forward and Neville followed with his head down, "You see professor," he began, "Ron Weasely had upset Hermione earlier so she was crying in the girls toilets. We didn't know this so we went looking for her, we didn't think anyone would mind if we were a little bit late to the feast. We didn't even know about the troll."

Professor McGonagall's eyes softened very slightly, "I suppose nothing could have been done then. How did this happen to professor Snape? He's usually a good dueller, I wouldn't expect this of him."

"We don't know, Professor. We weren't here."

"Where were you?"

"Professor Snape had told us to run, we were half way to th- ow!" Neville had elbowed him, then Jude had realised what he had done.

McGonagall's lips were white, the anger came back with a vengeance. "You foolish children. Why did you come back?"

Neville stepped forward so he was level with Jude, but still held onto Jude's sleeve, "that was my fault Professor, Hermione and Jude didn't want to. I heard professor Snape shout." He looked down to the floor in shame, tears brimming his eyes. Not on Jude's watch.

"But he saved Professor Snape's life! The troll was about to smash his head in! If we had been any later he would be dead! Neville's a hero!" Shouted Jude, "ask Hermione! She'll confirm!"

A second passed.

"In that case," said Professor McGonagall, "I will take away five house points for disobeying a Professor."

Jude frowned and put a hand on Neville's shoulder.

"But I will give you all five house points each, for doing your part in saving a Professor."

Jude lit up and faced Neville, who gave him a shy smile.

[FINAL BREAK]

I'm not hugely happy with this chapter, will probably change it. Thanks for reading.

Mazzax Manacry – thank you for your commentary, it's very interesting to see what others think of my ideas.

Nanettez – I would consider it racism because muggles and magic users are clearly somewhat different races, blood purists believe they are better, this is more or less the definition of racism. The prejudice against muggleborns however is a little bit different because they can both do the same things, it's about who you're related to, your her stage, which I would again refer to as racism. I do respect your opinion though. I'm just going to refer to it this way because it's easier for me.


	17. A less than likely friendship

Hermione was waiting anxiously for Neville to get back.

She was sitting in the corner of the Gryffindor common room, too worried to eat. She had left Neville and Jude with that troll. Thankfully it hadn't taken her long to find professor McGonagall and professor Quirrell, but what if she had been too late?

In the corner of her eye, she saw Dean Thomas elbow Ron Weasley, who looked hesitant but walked over to her.

'Great,' she thought, 'this idiot. Probably come to tell be the Neville isn't sitting with me for a reason.'

She hated him for what he did. She had never had friends before, and in her moment of weakness he actually made her think her friends didn't like her. She couldn't believe how silly she had been. She gave a small smile, thinking about the two sweetest boys at Hogwarts, hugging her outside the girls bathroom. Her thoughts went back to the troll and she felt like she would cry, she hoped they were okay.

"Hey," Said Ron Weasely, who had now reached her side.

"Hello," she said in her snooty voice, refusing to look at him.

A beat passed. "I tried to come and get you when we were told about the troll," Ron said awkwardly. "Percy stopped me so I told McGonagall when she came up to check on us, that's how she found you. Imagine what would have happened if the troll had got there first?"

Hermione scowled, "it did get there first."

"W-what?"

"It attacked me, Jude, Neville and professor Snape outside the bathroom. The troll knocked professor Snape down so Neville lead it away from his body. Jude shouted at me to get a professor, so I ran."

"W-woah." He Said, looking shell-shocked. He swallowed and looked away, seeming to gather some courage. "I'm sorry for saying those things to you."

Hermione's head snapped up to look at him.

"I mean – your friends clearly like you if they faced a troll for you."

"You just said you were going to come and get me," she said factually

"Yeah, well. I only did that because I felt bad. It would have been my fault if the troll had got you." Hermione didn't respond. Ron changed the subject. "Which one's Jude again?"

Hermione smiled to herself, "the Hufflepuff that played his guitar in the great hall."

"Oh. Him," said Ron in a strange way.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just... He's friends with that git Malfoy, they danced during that song."

"Oh, no. He's not friends with Malfoy. That was his attempt to become friends with Malfoy."

"Why would he want to be friends with someone like that?" Asked Ron with a nervous laugh.

Hermione sighed. She relayed a memory:

[PAGE BREAK]

 _"I can't believe you! What was that!? Why did you try to dance with Malfoy!?"_

 _"'mione, please relax, I was just trying to get him to see that we could be friends."_

 _"Why would you want to be friends with him!? You saw the horrible stuff he said to me! Said to you! He's awful to Neville too!"_

 _"I know, I know." Jude stopped around the corner from his common room. He adjusted his bandana and threaded his fingers through his hair. His face was red, eyes flicking back and forth, trying to find the words._

 _"You aren't born bigoted," he started. "Someone has put those ideas in his head, an adult. Maybe a parent or an older sibling." He locked eyes with Hermione. "If he learnt those views he can unlearn them. He's still young, only eleven or twelve like the rest of us. I've Made friends with bullies before," he dragged his hand across his face. "I, I just feel like, like we could help him become a better person."_

 _Jude looked at her with conflicted eyes, "does that make sense?"_

 _Hermione looked at her hands, "it does."_

[PAGE BREAK]

"He really said that?" asked Ron.

"Yeah..." She almost whispered. Jude was a crazy person, she knew this, but she couldn't deny that he was incredible, she knew he could see good in everyone.

She looked at Ron, who was lost in thought. Maybe she should take a page out of his book?

"Ron."

"Y-yeah?"

"I forgive you," she turned her body towards him, "can we be friends?"

[PAGE BREAK]

The next morning, the entire Gryffindor table was shocked. The group of Hufflepuff's that occasionally sat at their table was confused, except for one who was overjoyed.

Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were sitting next to each other.

Not only this, but Hermione was giving him some help with his homework.

It was wide knowledge that they couldn't stand each other, not anymore apparently. Neville was telling the group about how Ron had invited him and Hermione to sit with him, Seamus and Dean.

Dumbledore stood up at the staff table.

"Good morning students. It's lovely to see you all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed so early in the morning," he smiled and nodded his head to where the Gryffindors had been loudly chatting. "I'm sure you all remember that some aurors are doing an inspection of the school today, but me and none of the staff could have predicted the head auror herself giving us a visit. It is my pleasure to introduce madam Bones!"

A witch with an important air strode next to Dumbledore with a man and a woman at her sides. She had a square-shaped jaw and short grey hair with a monocle. She announced in a loud booming voice, "Good morning students of Hogwarts. Our inspection shouldn't take long, we will be gone by lunch time. I please ask that if me or any of the aurors ask you a question, that you answer it to the best of your ability. Thank you."

"Short and to the point, fabulous monocle. I like her," whispered Jude.

"You like everyone," nipped Hannah.

"She's my aunt," laughed Susan.

"Really!? That's so cool!" Said Jude.

Madam Bones stepped away from the teachers table and headed out of the great hall, the chatter started back up immediately.

[PAGE BREAK]

Madam Bones marched towards the third floor corridor like a woman on a mission, which she was. There was no way she would allow her niece to be put into any kind of danger. She was immensely glad that Miss Day had reported this concern even if it was nothing, Dumbledore got away with too much in her opinion. She heard footsteps behind her, speak of the devil, he had caught up.

"I say, Amelia. Wherever are you going? Surely it would make more sense to start at the bottom floor and make your way up?"

"Headmaster, we are actually here to investigate the third floor corridor on the right-hand side. I thought you were told about this?"

"I can't say I was, Amelia. Your letter just said you were doing an inspection. Although, tere is nothing to worry about the third floor corridor."

Madam Bones stopped in her tracks and turned to face Dumbledore, confusing the aurors beside her. "Then why did you tell the students not to go there, and if they did that they would experience "a painful death.""

Dumbledore cleared his throat at her glare. "Amelia, I think you should come with me to my office. The walls have ears and I would rather this stay between us."

Madam Bones gestured at her aurors to leave her side, they did so. She then proceed to cast several silencing, protection and blurring charms. "You were saying?"

Dumbledore cleared his throat once more, "I have been talking to my good friend Nicholas Flamel recently. He, like I, believes that you-know-who will return."

"Dumbledore, I swear, if you've endangered our children for a conspiracy theory-"

"Please, Amelia. Let me finish. You can judge me afterwards."

Madam Bones pulled her lips into a tight line.

"Anyway. We started talking about hypothetical situations, and he told me that if there was a way to catch you-know-who, he would gladly allow the philosopher's stone to be used as bait."

Amelia looked like she was going to speak up but refrained.

"Shortly before term started, unicorns started getting killed in the forest."

Amelia became wide-eyed.

"Yes, a terrible, horrible thing. However, Hagrid discovered that they weren't just being killed. Their blood was being consumed, I assume you know the implications of that."

She nodded mutely.

"I knew instantly that there was some sort of threat within the castle grounds that was trying to extend it's life and I feared that it was a residence of the castle. So I told Nicholas I thought it was you-know-who, and took his offer. I know that the culprit will never be able to resist eternal life and wealth.

It turned out to be a very good thing that I had taken the stone, the vault it was in was attacked recently after. Me and the rest of the teachers have each designed impenetrable defences that the culprit will have to get through. Once we see that they have been passed, we may be able to figure out who it is or catch them in the act." Dumbledore finished.

Madam Bones squeezed the bridge of her nose, "so let me get this straight. One of the most powerful magical objects in the world is being kept in a school full of children as a trap for a dark creature?"

"Well... When you put it like that..."

Madam Bones undid all of the spells and continued her stride with her two aurors and Dumbledore on her tail.

"What are the protections, headmaster?"

"The first one is a Cerberus," he started.

Madam Bones was livid.

[PAGE BREAK]

"YOU USED A SIMPLE LOCKING CHARM! OF ALL THE REDICULOUS THINGS! YOU'RE CAPABLE OF SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL SPELLS IN THE WORLD AND YOU CHOOSE A SPELL THAT A FIRST YEAR CAN UNDO!?"

Dumbledore was now seeing the error of his ways. What was he thinking? Setting a trap inside the school. It's a good thing Jude was nothing like James, he would have been looking for trouble.

Dumbledore cast a spell at a hidden music box in the corner, Fluffy refrained from pouncing on them.

"Right. Dumbledore, would you help these two in cleaning this place out? I'm going to floo for back up. By the end of the day I want the stone moved to a different location."

"Of course, madam Bones."

She left them to it and headed towards the floo, Hogwarts only had two in order to prevent attacks. One in the meeting room, and one in the headmaster's office.

On her way, she came across the staff room. She was hit with a thought that she could get the teachers to help, they built the protections after all. She hated to admit it, but most of them were quite impressive.

She knocked twice on the door and heard a "come in." Inside was the charms professor, the DADA professor and the deputy head, sitting around and with steaming mugs.

"Your traps are being taken down and the stone is being removed in order to better protect the children. Would you mind helping us?"

McGonagall and Flitwick looked disappointed but accepted it, the DADA (madam Bones didn't know his name) had a blank look on his face. Eventually, they all moved to help.

[FINAL BREAK]

Thank you all who commented! I'll see you next chapter!


	18. The Attack of the Teacher

Hey guys. Welcome to the new chapter!

Just a warning, there is violent imagery in this chapter but I tried to keep it vague. I'm very sure it still fits with the rating, but if you don't think so please tell me!

I'm still accepting songs for Jude to sing later on, as long as they fit the time-period. I hope you enjoy .

[BREAK]

"And that's the last of it," said madam Bones, walking into the final chamber.

It had been relatively easy to shut down and remove the traps with the creator's help, and an extra five aurors helping. She had expected to see the stone within some wards on a pedestal, but instead she saw the DADA professor at the end of the room, fidgeting violently.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Where's the stone?" He said, clear as day despite the fit his body seemed to be doing.

"It wasn't here?" She said, mostly to herself, "I'll ask Dumbledore. Old coot, I swear. He's too old to be running a school, should have retired years ago." She heard the man's light steps at her heels as she ascended the passageway.

[PAGE BREAK]

"Look! There's another one!"

The entire gang, plus Ron, Seamus and Dean, were watching from a corner while auror after auror walked past carrying pots of a strange looking plant.

"I swear, that's devil's snare," said Neville.

"Heh, that rhymes," said Jude.

Hermione looked like she was going to swat him, but refrained, "I can confirm. What would they being doing with all that?"

"Is it dangerous?" Asked Seamus.

"Quite," said Hermione.

"Then it must have been what was in the forbidden corridor," finished Jude.

Everyone looked at him, "what? It's why they're here. They're investigating the danger on my mum's request."

Just then they heard the clattering of feet on stone and the headmaster's voice echoing along. A few of them jumped and they all clambered to squeeze themselves further into the corner, a recipe for disaster since there was so many of them.

Somehow, they managed not to be seen as they watched Dumbledore lead madam Bones, two aurors and professor Quirrell along whilst saying, "I was going to put it down there, I really was. I just forgot, I was going to put it down there after Christmas."

They all held their breathes as they listened to the voices disappear down the corridor, then Neville tripped over Zacharias and they all went tumbling. There was a flurry of grunts and ows as they all got back up to there feet.

"What do you suppose he was going to put somewhere?" Asked Dean.

"I don't know," said Ron, "but I want to find out," and just like that, he was after Dumbledore with Seamus and Dean at his tail.

"Ron!" Hissed Hermione and followed with Neville in her wake.

"Adventure!" Jude announced and ran off after them, followed by Hannah who was used to this sort of thing.

Susan turned to her little group that remained, "should we?" But before they could discuss it, professor McGonagall appeared from the corridor behind them.

"Why aren't you all at lunch?"

[PAGE BREAK]

Dumbledore lead them all to a disused classroom in a side of the castle they had never been in. They hid around the corner as Dumbledore grasped the doorknob.

"May I present to you," he announced, opening the door, "the mirror of Erised!"

Madam Bones looked un-inpressed, "that's nice, headmaster, but where is the stone?"

"In the mirror, my dear girl. This is my protection, and one of the best I've ever created I can tell you," as Dumbledore was talking so animatedly, Quirrell walked inside the room, the gang were completely silent, wanting to here what it was.

"The mirror will only give the stone to those who want it, but do not plan to use it."

"What!?" They heard Quirrell say from inside the room.

"I know. Isn't it incredible, Quirinus?" Said Dumbledore, pride clear in his voice.

Madam Bones interrupted the conversation, "Well then, I guess we should just transport the mirror to the department of mysteries, it should be enough defence." As much as she disliked this situation, she had to admit that Dumbledore was a magical genius.

"W-wait!" Shouted Quirrell, "Surely, i-it wou-would be easier to t-take the s-stone out of the mir-mirror ff-first?"

There was a beat, then madam Bones face-palmed, how hadn't she seen it? This man clearly wanted the stone for himself, the anxiousness was now self-explanatory, "Aurors, arrest Quirinus for questioning."

The gang ducked back around the corner as they heard muttered words and a huge bang sound. Aurors were thrown down the corridor. Ron took a peep and saw Quirrell drag madam Bones into the room by her neck, only to hear a horribly distorted voice scream, "GEt thE STonE!"

He looked to Dumbledore, who was on the floor, seemingly unconscious.

They we all terrified.

Hannah spotted that one of the aurors was okay and sent a glowing white rabbit out of her wand that disappeared. Said auror suddenly realised they were there.

"What are you all doing here!? Run!" She then darted into the room with her wand raised. Bangs and clashes and shouts were heard.

Neville got up to run and tried to tug Jude up with him. To his utter horror, Jude didn't seem able to get up.

"Jude! Jude, what's wrong!?" He was curled up into a ball and clutching his head so hard Neville was sure it would leave marks.

"What's wrong with him!?" shouted Ron who was furthest down the corridor, having just noticed the predicament.

"I don't know! Please help!"

The team tried to pull Jude up to his feet, but it was very uncoordinated with the panic going on. They heard a smash and the door flung open, the auror flying out. She hit the wall with a sickening crack.

Quirrell walked out and spotted them, his turban was missing. The entire group felt physically ill and Hannah fainted at the sight.

On the back of his head was a morphed, pale face with red, piercing eyes. Thankfully, they only saw it for a second before Quirrell turned to face them. They heard that awful voice once more but Quirrell's mouth didn't move, "KilL THEM!"

As a grinning Quirrell approached, Jude started screaming in pain. Ron quickly tried to pick the unconscious Hannah up bridal-style. Quirrell seemingly enjoyed the sight before him. Neville had never been more terrified, and not just for his own life.

He looked down at Jude, his best friend. He gazed at Hannah, almost off the floor, someone who had always been there to support him. Hermione, someone who usually wasn't one to fall apart on him, was pale and gaping, she would never lie to him to save his feelings but she still cared and did her best to help him be happy. He could feel Seamus and Dean still behind him, probably frozen in terror. He recalled how nice they were to him last night. Talking and laughing with Ron, who was now trying his best to help.

He may have only been at Hogwarts for two months, but these people felt like family to him.

Quirrell raised his wand, "avada-"

Everything slowed down. Neville didn't want to die. He didn't want his friends to die. He stood between someone he absolutely despised and a troll. What would he do for those he cared about?

Neville jumped over Jude and shot the first spell that came to his head: "incendo!"

Quirrell screamed. The voice spoke once more: "FoOLiSH, cAN't EveN deAL WiTh ChIlDReN! LeT ME!"

Quirrell suddenly stopped screaming as a blank look came over him. He completely ignored the fire on his robes and the burns up his arms as he turned to a determined but very pale Neville.

"ThaT wAs a pItiFuL FLaME. LET Me sHoW yoU hOW it'S DoNE!" He pointed his wand, "InCEnDO!"

Neville raised his arms and screamed.

[FINAL BREAK]

Thank you for reading!

Like it? Don't? Have an idea? Let me know in the comments!


	19. The aftermath

_Jude was a baby, lying in his cot._

 _There was a woman sat next to him, looking at him thorough the bars. She was crying and whispering to him. No, not whispering, singing. The words themselves seemed to hold power as they enclosed him, making him feel safe._

 _Despite not knowing her, she was familiar._

 _He didn't know what was going on, but he wanted to comfort her. She was awfully pretty with bright red hair and piercing green eyes, just like his mum's. He reached out to her and she took his tiny hand._

 _A man came in behind her. He wailed, partly to warm her, partly because this man couldn't be human._

 _His face was distorted as though his features had been badly burned and blurred. His eyes had a permanently bloodied look. He could hear a horribly distorted voice shouting over this experience, causing him pain and pulling him into a world above. He watched in horror as he killed her with a horrible green light. Her body seizing up and the light dying in her eyes, before she dropped onto the floor with a slam. A high, cold laugh bounced around the room, the same as the voice above him._

 _The distorted voice over him only got louder as the man approached his crib, he wailed in agony, his head feeling as though it was going to explode. The man raised his wand and shot the green light at him, but he felt the power the woman had put around him come forth, and knock it back._

 _The monster screamed and disappeared in a puff of smoke which came to billow around him, he breathed in and blood trickled into his eyes, he felt it sting as the smoke dissapered. He began to wail once more_.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude shot up, sweating and panting.

"Jude! Jude, it's okay now," said Hermione next at his bed-side. It took a while for him to notice her.

Madam Pomfrey scurried to his side muttering something, then he saw a bright light being shined in his eyes and snapped them shut, his head still pounding.

"Jude. What happened out there? Madam Pomfrey has done loads of scans but they all came up that there was nothing wrong with you except you fainted. We all heard you screaming, Jude."

"I was screaming?" Jude asked, but it answered his own question. His voice was scratchy and horse, it hurt to swallow.

"Yes, dear," said a concerned looking madam Pomfrey, "all of the witnesses say you were clearly in a lot of pain. Headaches in Quirrell's class indeed. I should have had an investigation done, I'm so sorry."

Then it came back to him. He had heard that man in his dream, and it had hurt his scar so bad he passed out.

Voldemort.

"Voldemort's in the castle!" Shouted Jude. Madam Pomfrey flinched.

"Jude, calm down, don't faint again," said Hermione, "we know."

He only noticed now that she looked like she was going to be sick.

"What happened?"

"How much did you see?"

"I saw Quirrell walking into the room, then I heard the blast."

"Quirrell held madam Bones hostage and tried to get her to get the stone for him," she said, trying to remain calm but clearly failing. Jude didn't stop her though, and neither did madam Pomfrey. "Voldemort was possessing him, we saw his face on the back of his head. That's why he wore that turban and why his classroom stank of garlic - because he smelt like a corpse," she was starting to breath very heavily. Jude put a hand on her shoulder and found that she was shaking.

"You don't have to continue if you don't want too."

"No, no. I want to. You need to know," she put her hand over his own, steeled herself, then continued.

"Hannah fainted when she saw his face. Ron tried to carry her and the rest of us were so frozen in fear- we couldn't- we tried-" tears started running down her face, "I'm so sorry, Jude. I'm so sorry Hannah. Neville, I'm so sorry!" She shouted.

"It's okay, Hermione! There's nothing you could have done!" Came Hannah's voice from behind the curtain around his bed.

"No! I should- I should have done something! I should have ran, I should have helped move Jude! I should have helped Ron with you!" She sobbed.

"Hey, hey, hey," Jude wiped some tears from her eyes, "it's okay if you froze up. He's the most terrifying wizard ever, people are afraid to say his name. I guarantee you most adults would have done the same." He pulled her into a hug, "you don't have to tell me right now. It's new trauma, stuff like that is always hard to talk about, but I'm here for you."

"And me!" Shouted Hannah. Hermione did a sob-laugh at Hannah's over-happy intrusion.

"That's enough shouting now, please. I have patients trying to sleep," said madam Pomfrey.

"Sorry, madam Pomfrey," said Jude.

"Yeah, sorry," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. Madam Pomfrey left. Then Hermione turned to Jude, "thank you, but you do need to know. I'll just skip talking about," she shuddered, " _him_."

"No problem."

Hermione took a breath. " _He_ was about to use the killing curse on us when Neville jumped in front of us all."

"WHAT!?" shrieked Jude, "Is he okay!?"

Hermione put her finger to her lips, Jude covered his mouth, "he's asleep and hurt, but he's going to be fine."

Jude sighed in relief.

"The aurors came after that and put _him_ in a full body bind, That's when he said that he was Lord Voldemort, and would not be defeated like that. Madam Bones was rescued, but he escaped."

"How?"

"He left the body it this awful cloud of smoke, leaving Quirrell behind."

'like my dream,' thought Jude.

Just then, madam Pomfrey came back. "I just made a floo call to saint Mungo's," she said. "They think they know what the headaches are, Mr Day."

"Oh? What are they?"

"One of the leading healers thinks you might be sensitive to dark magic, however, they wish to have you in for an examination anyway."

"What does that mean?" Asked Jude.

"Some people are sensitive to dark magic and that means whenever people are around that type of magic, they feel very ill. He said he's never had anyone who reacts with headaches, but you could be a new type. What you've been experiencing certainly fits the requirements."

"Huh, that could be useful," said Jude, "when am I going in to saint Mungo's then?"

"I will owl your mother and arrange a date, for now I suggest you get some rest. I will alert you both at dinner. If you are well enough you can all eat in the great hall."

"Thank you."

[PAGE BREAK]

After Hermione had pulled open the curtain around Jude's bed, Hannah moved to the bed next to him (Jude had tried to move but almost fell over).

He had asked his friends what they wanted to do for the next few hours, Hermione had answered with reading. Hannah and Jude, having had a similar traumatizing experience, wanted to be alone with their thoughts for a while and agreed.

So the three of them read their separate books. Hermione was reading Hogwarts a history again whilst sitting in a chair between the two, Hannah was reading a book on herbology from the library, and Jude was reading one of his goblin books, sprawled across the cot on his front.

Apparently very little was known by wizards about goblin medical procedures. They were too suspicious of wizards to reveal them. Some believe that they have healer goblins like us while others think that the elders do all the healing, a few think that all goblins know the basics of healing since they are a warrior race. It has been concluded that the spells they use are not similar to ours as they were viewed in the goblin rebellion but never explained.

As interesting as Jude found the book, his mind wandered back to his dream.

That woman who had cast the spell had been his mother, he knew it. He gazed into his reflection in the window adjacent to him and concluded that yes, he did indeed have his mother's eyes. The exact same ones in fact.

He was so very heart-broken by what he had saw. She was so young, couldn't have been older than twenty. She had her whole life ahead of her and it was snatched away.

She had given it away for him, she tried to protect him. She was the reason he survived, not because he was special. She had cast the spell that saved him and 'killed' Voldemort. Apparently he wasn't gone, just weakened.

The world had to know, he decided. Jude had no idea how he would manage that. But the world had to know that Lily Potter was the hero, not him. Surely the aurors would report that Voldemort wasn't dead so he didn't have to worry about that.

If Jude was honest with himself, he was slightly angry at Dumbledore. None of this would have happened if the stone hadn't been in the school. He hoped the man would answer all his questions as it was only fair after what had happened.

Jude looked around the sanitary room. It was empty other than three beds with the curtains closed around them. He guessed one of them was Neville and, when he asked, Hermione told him that Snape and Dumbledore were behind the other two, having been injured.

He was worried about them all, yes, but also very anxious for them all to get up and answer his questions. It was still a mystery as to how Snape got beat after all.


	20. Conversations

One nap later, Jude awoke to Dumbledore talking.

"-Flamel. It has the power to create gold and extent one's life." Several gasps sounded.

"Really, headmaster," came Snapes low drawl, "I don't think you should be sharing this information with students."

"It's fine, my boy. They deserve to know, after all, they could have been killed," Dumbledore's voice sounded very frail and choked.

"I can't believe he's still alive," came a quiet and eerily calm voice, Jude identified it as Neville. He shot up from the blankets and spun to look at him. Wide eyes with prominent bags met his, and Jude shot into Neville's arms.

"Thank you for saving our lives. You are the bravest person I know," he babbled into the other boy's shoulder.

Neville made a weird noise in the back of his throat. "I'd love to return the hug, Jude," he started, "but it would hurt a lot."

Jude pulled back and realised that Neville's hands and forearms were bandaged all the way up to his elbows. They smelled funny, like some sort of plant. Neville noticed when Jude wrinkled his nose, "burn salve," he answered.

Jude gaped, "You got burnt all the way up your arms," he squeaked. "I'm so sorry, Neville, are you alright?"

Neville smiled sheepishly, "of course I'm not alright, but I've done worse. Remember when I broke my arm?"

Jude felt like smiling at the reassurance, but he didn't. Instead he put a hand on Neville's upper arm "your gran isn't allowed to be disappointed in you anymore. I can guarantee you are just as brave as your father was, if not more."

Neville looked like he was going to cry, but put a toothy grin over it. Someone cleared their throat behind them. It was Snape.

It was quite an amusing sight before him. Dumbledore was sat in his bed with a comically large bandage around his head. Everyone in their little group was there, including Ron and co, sitting in a circle around the bed as though he was reading a story to them. Snape was standing off to the side.

"Mr Day. The headmaster would like to speak to you privately. Professor Dumbledore, are you capable of walking or should I remove everyone from the room?"

"No, No, my boy. That won't be necessary," he hauled himself up and grabbed a rather stylish phoenix cane. He leant on it as he hobbled towards the exit.

Jude, still practically in Neville's lap, shrugged to his friends, and followed Dumbledore out.

[PAGE BREAK]

"Well then, my boy. I suppose you have some questions," said Dumbledore.

"The stone can create gold and give life?"

Dumbledore looked surprised, "yes. How did you know that?"

"I was listening to you tell my friends, that's all I heard though."

"Oh," Dumbledore looked rather disappointed, "yes, the philosopher's stone was created by me and my friend, Nicholas Flamel. We have decided it will be destroyed, for the greater good."

"Good," said Jude, "I can't understand why anyone would want to live forever. You'd see everyone you love die, and you'd get bored. The gold thing was cool though."

Dumbledore smiled a grandfatherly smile, "You have wisdom beyond your years. And I agree, the gold thing was 'cool.' However, having as much money as you could ever want isn't as good as it may seem. Humans do have a knack for choosing the things that are worst for them."

Jude's mind drifted, "if I had the stone, I would end world hunger by giving random people loads of gold so they can buy food, and donate to charities, and buy loads of instruments!"

Dumbledore chuckled, "Very noble of you. Do you have any more questions?"

Jude looked down, not wanting to ask the question but feeling like he had to. "Voldemort's come back. Hasn't he?"

"I wouldn't say that he's back, Harry. He is without a body, but he is out there, trying to return."

"...My name's Jude, professor."

"Oh, my dear boy. I'm very sorry. My old age is catching up to me. Jude. Jude, Jude, Jude."

"Yes, sir," he giggled.

[PAGE BREAK]

The friends were going to bring food up to the hospital wing so that they could eat with Neville, but madam Pomfrey had said there was too many of them, they would create a ruckus and Neville needed rest. Not wanting Neville to be alone, they asked how many could eat with him.

She said none.

They begged, saying Neville had just been through a traumatic experience and needed his friends.

She eventually gave in.

"One of you. For ten minutes only," she said sternly.

Jude stepped down immediately, only to have everybody else push him up, saying that he was Neville's best friend and the only person to not have a full conversation with him after Quirrell.

"Even Snape got to," said Susan, "Even though it was just Snape telling Neville what an idiot he was for going back to the troll."

So Jude was sat next to Neville, eating a jacket potato, and Neville was telling Jude about what he had found out about the electricity problem.

"So putting runes on your jogg-person-"

"-walkman,"

"yeah, that. It should solve the problem. The only thing is that we can't take ancient runes until our third year, and even then the course is purely theory."

Jude frowned, "that's a problem. Who teaches it?"

"Professor Babbling, the black haired woman with a long nose."

"I think I know who you mean, but enough about that."

"Huh?"

"How are you holding up?" Jude said seriously, gesturing to the long white bandages donning Neville's arms.

"I'm okay."

"Really?"

"Well. Sort of." He started fidgeting with a piece of loose bandage. "I don't mind getting hurt, because all of you are okay, if that's what you mean. Sure, it was horrible in the moment and it's itchy now, but I would do it again in a heart-beat."

"Nev," started Jude, "please don't make this a habit," he said with a small smile.

Neville gave out a laugh that somehow managed to be nervous and hysterical at the same time, "I've done it twice now! Wow. Gran won't believe it when she finds out. She won't believe me." His eyes snapped to Jude's, "it's not on purpose, Really, but I'll try."

They shared a smile. "You really are a crazy guy, Nev. Are you sure you weren't faking that nervousness? Or that clumsiness?"

As he said that, Neville elbowed his glass of water off of the bed-side table. Jude guffawed and Neville went red. "I guess not." Said Jude.

They fell silent and Neville played with his pasta.

"Jude?"

"Yeah, Nev?"

"You know I'd tell you anything, right?"

"Awww, Nev. That's really sweet. I'd tell you anything too. At this point I quite literally trust you with my life. You've proven yourself one time too many."

Neville chuckled, he seemed nervous, "that's good because I have a question for you."

"Shoot," replied Jude with a finger gun.

"Just a warning, I may have blown a small, irrational idea into a conspiracy theory. I just want you to put an end to it."

He took a breath.

"Why did Dumbledore call you Harry?"

There was a pause.

Jude looked at Neville wide-eyed. Neville's calm face slowly morphed into a 'I got you' grin as his hand came up to point at Jude.

Then. Jude finally spoke.

"How the heck!?"

Neville screached, "I knew it!"

"What the hell!?"

"I can't believe it!"

"Jesus Christ!"

"Who's that?"

"'Doesn't matter- how!?"

Neville put his hands on his hips with a satisfied grin.

"It started when you looked really nervous in history of magic, those two boys were talking about Harry Potter, and how he was supposed to be in our year. Then I started to wonder why you wore those bandanas all the time, could be a fashion statement, but you don't seem like that sort of person. Then you reacted so violently to you-know-who. AND TO TOP IT ALL OF DUMBLEDORE'S SLIP OF THE TONGUE, I WAS RIGHT!"

"Okay, firstly; you are Sherlock Holmes reincarnated."

"Whos-"

"- Secondly, the Voldemort" flinch "thing doesn't count, I wasn't faking and madam Pomfrey thinks I'm sensitive to dark magic, way to throw something out of proportion.

Thirdly, imagine how stupid you would have looked then if you had got it wrong!"

"But I didn't," he said with that same infectious grin.

"But you could have."

"But I didn't."

"But you could have."

Neville took a breath and held his chin, pretending to think about it, but then did the exact same smile and pointed at Jude, "but I didn't."

Jude laughed, "fine, whatever. You got me! You are clearly superior to even Hermione in investigative skill."

In the great hall, Hermione sneezed.

"But seriously, you can't tell anyone," Jude continued.

"Why not? I thought you loved attention."

"I do but I don't wanna be famous. It changes people. Not to mention it was my biological mother who caused Voldemort's downfall, not me. I just survived."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I remember it."

"Jude, er, Harry. I'm so sorry."

"Call me Jude. I didn't even know I was Harry Potter until I met professor McGonagall for the first time. There was a mistake and I was raised by a muggle who didn't know my name so she gave me one. As far as I'm concerned, I am Jude Day. Don't worry about mentioning it, let's just skip over."

"That sounds like a story and a half, you'll have to tell it to me, but here comes madam Pomfrey."

"I promise I'll tell you if we get some time alone, see you later Nev, get well soon."

"See you, Jude."

[FINAL BREAK]

Thanks for reading! And thanks for the comments!


	21. Good Things and Family

November was an eventful month for the entire of Hogwarts. The Quidditch games for the cup, as well as lots of clubs started up now that the first years were settled.

Jude had been very excited to go to the frog choir. When he arrived he was baffled to find that they used actual toads. He also had his work cut out for him, as one of the pieces the entire choir had to sing was in Latin; Jude was expected to be able to pronounce every word perfectly and understand what they meant.  
When the first practise came to a close, Jude looked around. He was somewhat surprised to discover that there was no first years other than him there. He asked a Hufflepuff who couldn't have been older that thirteen why this was.  
"It's not advertised very well for first years, I must admit. Most of the people here are in third year and using it to get extra credit in the music extra-curriculum class."  
"There's a music class in third year!?" Jude parroted excitedly.  
"Yeah, you can take it along with your other options as long as you have the space on your time-table. Not a lot of people take it because it has nothing to do with magic and is a bonus class, like the muggle art class," she finished on a rather sad note.  
"Who is responsible for getting the word around about clubs?"  
"The head of houses usually put them on the notice-boards in the common rooms."  
"That's it?"  
"Yeah. Why?"

[PAGE BREAK]

By the fifteenth, Jude had posters for the frog choir stuck in all of the classrooms he frequented, minus Snape's class as "I don't want that drivel on my walls!"  
The choir and professor Flitwick had loved this idea and didn't know why they didn't think of it sooner. The same Hufflepuff Jude had talked to before (Helena Bogtrot) had taken charge in designing the poster. She could draw a very accurate and detailed frog to Jude's awe. Professor Flitwick taught them all a simple copying charm and they were off planting posters.  
Other clubs quickly caught onto the idea and did their own, Jude was happy at the revolution he had started.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude had given up with his operation to bring electricity to Hogwarts after speaking to the runes teacher. She refused to answer his questions or to even recommend him books, as it would just 'go over his head,' she had told him he was too young to understand the complexities of runes and to wait to take her class.  
Jude had of course been very frustrated by this, not being able to listen to music for a large portion of his life brought him down for a while, but after a vent to Hannah and Neville, he began to accept it.  
Ron Weasley had offered to help take his mind off it with a game of wizard chess. Jude asked him how it was different to muggle chess.  
"Muggles have chess?"  
It was considerate of him to offer. He listened to Jude just as much as Jude listened to him.  
Soon it became very clear that the image others had painted of Ron wasn't quite accurate. He was a sweet and caring person, that much was clear to Jude, he just made many mistakes, which was only human. They got along like a house on fire instantly, and Jude couldn't help but think that they were always meant to be friends.  
Jude's mum may be a fan of chess, but nothing she had taught him could prepare him for the onslaught of the amazing chess player that was Ron Weasely. He was completely beaten, again and again and again, but Jude was a patient guy, he kept trying.  
"And I believe that is the tenth checkmate in a row! Ha ha ha!" He celebrated.  
"Wow, Ron! You're amazing at this! You should play professionally!"  
"You can do that!?"  
Needless to say, they rarely ran out of things to talk about.  
Eventually Christmas rolled around and the students piled back onto the Hogwarts Express (minus Ron, Dean and Seamus who were staying at Hogwarts) back to Kings Cross. Despite the holiday only being two weeks long, the ever expanding group of friends promised to write.

[PAGE BREAK]

Jude waved goodbye to his small army of friends at Kings Cross, then went to join his mother. He instantly grappled on to her and they hugged it out.  
"Hiya, kid. That's a very large group you got there, but why should I be surprised?" She spoke into his hair.  
Jude laughed, "help me pick out Christmas presents for them all?"  
She shook her head, "you're going to be the death of me, that's a lot of work."

"But you like shopping! You can get yours done at the same time too."

[BREAK]

The first thing Jude did when he got home was turn on his radio and pass out. Travelling took way more out of him than he expected, he supposed that could have been the amount of socialising he did on the train.

He woke up to Bryan Adam's 'Everything I do (I do it for you)', and, honestly? It was the best feeling in the world to listen to music that wasn't him again. He was in a good mood as he dressed himself and slid down the banister of his childhood home.  
Today was going to be good.

[BREAK]

The past week had been very good.

He hung out at his grandparents whenever he could to make up for all the missed weekends, to the point he was spoiled rotten with the amount of ice cream he had eaten.

He had caught up with Tom, Joey and Dudley and all of his other friends in the neighbourhood. It was a shame that he wouldn't really get to see the ones that didn't live nearby, but he made sure to tell Tom to tell them that he said hi when term started for them again.  
It left him feeling a little left out that he didn't go to school with the people he'd known his entire life. Joey had caught him up on the drama of course, and my gosh was there a lot of drama, but he felt very removed from it, since it wasn't in his social circle anymore.

Still, they went out on their bikes and saw movies and bought sweets. It was good, and he loved his new friends at school too, so he couldn't complain.

His mother had asked him the night before if he wanted to be a temporary guide for her dungeons and dragons group since he had to go back to school soon.  
He had asked her what kind of question that was, of course he wanted to be a temporary guide.

This is how he ended up as the very over powered: Alas the bashful! The great Elf bard! He had a very pompous flouncy voice that he loved to do for them (that may only slightly be based on Draco) making the entire table roar with laughter.

It was always nice to see his mum's friends. Auntie Anne was as violently awkward as she was cheerful, as always. She always fussed over Jude, "her favourite nephew" and told him funny stories about mum. She was the fantastic Sebastian Hound, human druid.  
With her she brought her girlfriend, Auntie Em, who was as calm as calm could be. She always seemed very wise to Jude but didn't talk a whole lot. Except when she was describing her well thought out, absolutely chaotic heist; she was the skill-full Etru Chovnas: dark elf rouge.  
Also there was one of his mother's co-workers and dear friends: Uncle Ben. Ben was a product design teacher, very creative. He played Dendro, the eternal fire: dragon-borne wizard.

Finally was someone he had never met before. Auntie Anne and mum had both mentioned him before since Anne had practically grown up with him, their parents were friends or something. Griff was his name. This fully grown adult had introduced himself by chasing Ben through the house threatening to tickle him. When he had finally noticed Jude he left the poor man alone and complimented his glasses. Griff had only recently started playing d&d with his mum and friends so he wasn't the best at the rules. He played the most disastrous character Jude had ever seen: Grork the two headed orc barbarian. Yes you heard right, two headed, each head had it's own favourite swear-word. Abby scolded him whenever he used them, eventually she just gave up and started diving for Judes ears. However, Griff was a very chaotic person so Abby could never predict when he was going to swear. She eventually decided that this had been a bad idea.

The story went that Alas had written his most soul-wrentching song in the mountains of Guan before it was taken over by bandits. Now he has offered to lead the party through in their quest to find the hidden city.

They kept getting very side-tracked.

"I'm going to steal Sebs knife because he annoyed me."

"Can I do an investigation check on the rock?"

"Yeah I guess."

"16."

"It looks like just a rock."

"I'm going to do one too!"

"Me too!"

"And me!"

"9!"

"19!"

"Crap, crit fail."

"It looks like just a rock, except to Alas, they goes blind temporarily."

"God damn it, Jude, please just help me!"

"Don't swear at my son."

"I'm sorry Abby but I'm going to die and he's just watching!"

"Should have though about that before you tried to steal my lute."

"Please! Jude!"

"Alas starts playing 'Never Gonna Give You Up' by Rick Astley."

"JUDE PLEASE."

"Can we jump across the casm?"

"It's fifteen feet you'd need one hell of a jump."

"Maybe Ben can levitate us across, he is a **wizard** after all," grinned Griff.

"For the last time Griff, I'm not a wizard, Dendro is. Also he can't do that."

"That's not true, you're totally a wizard Ben!"

"Griff, stop it."

Jude looked at Abby with wide eyes.

"No, he's not actually a wizard."

"But-"

"Wizard is slang for a thirty year-old virgin."

"Abby! I can't believe you just told your eleven year-old that! What the heck!?"

[BREAK]

By the end of the night, Jude was exhausted from laughing so hard.

Before he went to Hogwarts he was a consistent member of most of his mother's campaigns, she was a great writer. Now that he was away all the time he couldn't be apart of them as much anymore. The thought made him sad, he didn't want things to change. He voiced these concerns to his mother.

"Oh, Jude. Things are always changing, nothing is ever truly static, especially not people. This is a good thing, it means we're never the same thing in any second. Would you rather be who you were yesterday? Or who you were a month ago?"

Jude thought about this. He would rather do without the nightmares about Voldemort, but he was glad he could remember Lily. He was also glad for the laughs he'd had tonight.

"No, I like who I am now."

"And you'll like who you are in the future. You can always play with us on the holidays, why don't you start your own group with your friends?" Jude grinned, that sounded like a fun idea. "Besides, how lucky are you? Getting to learn real magic with great friends, you could become a real life Alas the bashful."

Jude lit up, "yes! I could be a real bard!"

Abby giggled, "you bet. You'd be a wonderful bard."  
She fell silent as she continued cleaning the dishes from their take-away. Then she spoke, almost hesitantly.

"What did you think of Griff, then?"

"He's crazy! In a good way. You saw me, I was practically on the floor, he could be a comedian," Jude exclaimed, then noticed the tone shift "...why?"

"No reason," She faltered.

"Mum?"

"Yes?"

"You have to tell me, mum."

"Tell you what, sweetheart?"

"Muuum!" He grumbled.

"...Okay fine," she cleared her throat, "...I- I'm going to start dating again."

Jude stopped where he was for a moment, then, "Mum that's great!"

"Y-you think so?"

"Yes! I'm so happy you're going to have someone you love to spend your life with!"

"Heh, let's not be so hasty. It's just a date and I've known him for a long time. We might decide to just be friends. This isn't weird for you, is it?"

"Not at all!" He got up and gave her a hug, "I'm happy for you, mum."  
He then gave off a yawn and excused himself to bed.

[BREAK]

Jude shut the door slowly, then sat on his bed.

This. This was a thing. A big thing. A life changing thing.  
He remembered when he was younger, how he'd ask his mum for a dad for Christmas or say something similar. She would always say that she wasn't ready, the last guy had been awful and she never could get over it.

He was glad that she was moving on, really he was. She deserved to be happy.

But, Griff? That man-child who he had just played d&d with. He didn't really... Seem right for her.  
His mum deserved a prince, someone responsible who could take care of her. Griff seemed more like a class clown. June's face scrunched up reflexively as he tried to imagine them as a couple, then he shook his head.  
It was none of his business and would support his mum's happiness regardless.

Right?

[FINAL BREAK]

Holy crap I'm not dead.  
Hello all! It has been a very long while has it not?  
I lost all inspiration but now I'm back with bags of it after working on some other stuff.  
See you next chapter!


	22. A Trip to the Doctors

"Twas the week before Christmas and there wasn't a sound, for Jude and mum had woken up early, to go into town.

There they caught a train to London, King's Cross. For Jude had an appointment... with the docs?"

"That was better!" Abby laughed, "Soon you'll be writing your own material."

Jude smiled, he was just being silly like grandad, but he supposed he should start writing his own songs, practise makes perfect as they say.

They hopped off the train and started their treck to the address in the letter that madam Pomfrey had sent them. Mum had said that they could do his Christmas shopping after, since London was the best place for it, and wizards would probably want magic gifts.

Mum had seemed really worried when they talked about the letter. The situation had been explained to her, Jude wasn't sure about how much detail it went into, but he had to practically beg his mother to let him go back next year without incident.

Abby had known that the thing on the third-floor had to be a problem, she had not expected it to be a dark wizard trap. She had actually recieved a letter of apology from the headmaster and a thanks for sending the aurors, Jude believed that this was a huge contributor to allowing him to go back. His mother may be very protective, but she was also very forgiving; he had to get it from somewhere.

Jude had to fight to stay near his mum with the large masses of Christmas shoppers milling around them. Eventually they managed to get out of the crowd and stopped in front of a large department store made of dull, red bricks called Purge & Dowse Ltd. The place was clearly closed down due to the 'Closed for Refurbishment' signs; however, most would be able to tell anyway due to the musty window display with ragged and filthy mannequins wearing clothes that went out of style in the 80s, one had lopsided eyes with broken eyelashes which creeped him out slightly. You didn't see many mannequins with eyes nowadays, and now Jude could see why.

Mum inspected the letter, "looks like this is the place."

"This is a hospital?"

"A very well hidden hospital, yes. Try the door."

Jude looked behind them at the bustling street. Everybody seemed so busy that nobody took notice of two people hanging around an abandoned building. He walked to the doors and gave them a push, they wouldn't budge.

"It's locked tight," he frowned.

Mum furrowed her eyebrows, "damn the statute of secrecy. If we don't hurry we'll miss your appointment." She looked at the building, inspecting each piece in part, then she jumped back with a yelp.

"What's wrong!?"

"The dummy moved!"

Jude wirled around, the mannequin was still. He stepped away from the door and approached it. He figured he'd better try talking to it since they didn't have another lead.

"Hi, I'm Jude Day and this is my mum. I have an appointment at ten, can you help us, please?"  
Despite his mother telling him that the dummy moves, he still stepped back in shock as the lifeless object nodded and beckoned him forward with a single jointed finger.

Now Jude was just confused, he couldn't come much closer without bumping into the glass. What did the dummy want from him? He tried to think back to all his experiences within the magical world. To get into Diagon Alley you had to tap a brick with a wand, you couldn't see The Leaky Cauldron unless you were magic, and to get to the platform you had to run through a wall. Maybe this was similar?

He turned back and offered his hand to his mother, then turned and walked forwards into the window as if it was the barrier at the train station.  
It felt like stepping through cool water and coming out completely dry on the other side. Jude found the sensation relaxing.

"Cool," he breathed, before opening his eyes.

The room they were in now looked a lot more like a doctor's office. There were lots of people in robes sat in unstable-looking chairs around two main desks.

What first appeared familiar to Jude suddenly started to become something more like a horror movie as his eyes focused on individuals. Lots of people had gruesome disfigurements on their person, like extra body-parts of their own and other animals, parts missing, and objects jammed into their person.  
Also the room was loud. Very very loud. Many of the noises didn't sound human, and those that did were not quiet in the slightest.

It made him feel ill.

In a fit of panic Jude drew his mum closer and made his way up to the desk as quickly as possible, cutting off lots of people. Jude stopped in shock before he got there. The line was increadibly long, it winded around the space more than once. He bounced in place anxiously his eyes darting around until he saw another desk in the corner labelled 'Enquiries' with a much shorter line. He made a bee-line towards it.

Abby, however, was fascinated with her surroundings. She never seen such an odd group, and although the sights and sounds weren't pleasant, she didn't overtly mind them. She let her eyes wander as her son dragged her around and wondered if there was a book about the work they do here, or someone she could ask. She had wanted to be in the healthcare sector when she was younger, and seeing all these problems that didn't even exist in the muggle world, it was interesting in the way you would find a large insect interesting.  
When she finally tore her eyes away and noticed her son was definitely having a hard time in this environment, she looked at the posters and signs on the walls, looking for assistance, when finally she saw the floor guide which was being gestured at by a receptionist. It read:

ARTEFACT ACCIDENTS ... Ground floor  
Cauldron explosion, wand backfiring, broom crashes, ect.

CREATURE-INDUCED INJURIES ... First floor  
Bites, stings, burns, embedded spines, ect.

MAGICAL BUGS ... Second floor  
Contagious maladies, e.g. dragon pox, vanishing sickness, scrofungulus, ect.

POTION AND PLANT POSIONING ... Third floor  
Rashes, regurgitation, uncontrollable giggling, ect.

SPELL DAMAGE ... Fourth floor  
Unliftable jinxed, hexes, incorrectly applied charms, ect.

VISITORS' TEAROOM / HOSPITAL SHOP ... Fifth floor

IF YOU ARE UNSURE WHERE TO GO, INCAPABLE OF NORMAL SPEECH OR UNABLE TO REMEMBER WHY YOU ARE HERE, OUR WELCOMEWITCH WILL BE PLEASED TO HELP.

That didn't really help them since Jude was just here for what was essentially a check up. So they would have to wait. She squeezed her baby's hand and he smiled at her weakly.

"If it's too much, find a place to step out of the way where it's less noisy. I'll stay in line," she tried to mouth but ended up yelling.

Jude visably sighed in relief and pointed to the double doors where she assumed the stairs were. Abby nodded and watched him trot off, his eyes everywhere except on the monstrous patients.

It took roughly five minutes for Abby to reach the front of the line. It felt more like five seconds due to the amount of oddities grabbing her attention around her. A bored-looking, blond woman shouted, "next!"

"Hi, I have an appointment for my son, Jude Day?"

"Judeeee Dayyyy," she drawled, running her finger down a long list in front of her, then stopped, "Jude Day, ten o'clock, fourth floor, Aedan Ibex's office."

"Thank you."

Once through the double doors she spotted something quite peculiar; the narrow corridors were lit by floating blue orbs containing candles, it was magical. Even in the most mundane places the magical world finds things to wow her, she mused. Examining the paintings that lined the walls she took strides, passing lots of patients and people in lime-green robes with emblems depicting a bone and a wand crossed, who she could only assume were the doctors, or 'healers' as madam Pomfrey had called them.  
It was much quieter in here than in the corridor, however you could still occasionally hear screaming and other odd sounds, it was unsettling to say the least.

She came out into a stair-well and saw her son stood next to a window. They reunited and Abby made sure he was okay, then they moved on.

Luckily, Aedan Ibex's office was one of the first rooms they came across. Abby checked her watch: 9.59. Perfect. She knocked on the door. They were invited in by a raucous voice that seemed to give out halfway through his sentence.

The the room was the same size as your typical doctors office, with similar furniture. There was an examining table with lime-green curtains, lots of medical posters, and a main desk in the corner. Although, instead of the blinding white of your typical surgery, the walls were a filthy beige.  
Sat at the desk was a balding man who appeared to be in his late sixties.

"You must be Mr Day?" He croaked at Jude as he rose from his chair for a handshake. Jude took it happily.

"Yes, sir. You're Dr. Ibex?"

"Wuzz'at? Doctor?" His wrinkled face puckered as though he had eaten something sour, "those insane muggles that cut people up? I'm nothing of the sort, but I am Aedan Ibex."

Abby was about to correct the man on her worlds medical procedures, but Jude looked confused. Abby spoke up, telling him that they have healers here, not doctors. Jude contemplated this while Abby introduced herself.

"So what do I call you then?" Asked Jude, feeling out of his depth.

"Mr Ibex is fine," he grunted as he gestured to some worn, leather arm chairs.

Jude gave his mum an uncertain look. Abby would have returned it, but she had been ensured that these people were professionals, their lack of title didn't change that. They just did things differently here. So she smiled at him reassuringly.

"Let's see here... Headaches, fainting, intense pain when around a source of dark magic. Is this correct?"

Jude looked to his mother, she gestured to go ahead. "Yeah, that's right."

"And, how long has this been going on for?"

"Since I got to school."

Mr Ibex proceeded to ask lots of questions about his general health and the situation he had been in, all while a floating quill in the corner scribbled things down. After a while he started to get a little bit frantic.

"You're sure it's only been headaches?"

"Yes, sir."

"No dizziness?"

"Yes, sir."

"Even before you fainted? You never felt dizzy?"

"No, sir, sorry."

"What about nausea? Did you feel sick when you fainted or when you woke up?"

"Well, I did feel a little sick when I woke up," Mr Ibex seemed glad about that, "but that might have just been because I had a nightmare. What I saw made me feel ill," then he seemed to go back to normal. He shifted and stood up from his chair.

"Excuse me, I just need to go and retrieve something from a college, we shall begin some tests when I return." Jude nodded, he left.

It wasn't fun having something wrong with you that people couldn't figure out. He stared down at his shoes only to feel a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. They'll tell use what it is, I'm sure of it," she gave him a kiss on the cheek. The corners of his mouth turned upwards and he wiped it away, but didn't say anything.

It was awfully quiet in the office, the only noise was the steady ticking of a clock on the wall.

"...want to tell me about that nightmare?" Asked mum.

"Oh. yeah... I've actually been meaning to tell you about it. I don't think it was a nightmare. I think it was a memory."

"A memory?"

"Yeah."

Jude went on to describe the nature of the dream as best he could, but he couldn't seem to get his words right, so he ended up bumbling through it.  
When he had finished, he told her that he thought the people in the dream were Voldemort, Lily and James.

He looked up at her from his new position that he had gravitated to: leaning on her shoulder.  
She appeared dissconected when they linked eyes. Then she kissed him again, on the top of his head, fleeing his line of sign.

"Jude, there's no way you can remember that."

Jude frowned into her arm, "but I can.  
I do remember it." he said forcefully.

The silence stretched on.

Then: "who was the dark wizard who attacked you, Jude?"

'Oh no.'

'Oh crap.'

He took a deep sigh through his nose and held her tighter.

Of course he would tell her, he wanted her to know in a sense. He had just planned to wait until she asked. He had hoped she would have left it a little longer.  
Although he didn't want her to be worried, and didn't want her to take him out of his world, he trusted her and she deserved to know.

"Voldemort," he whispered with closed eyes.

Her grip tighten in his hair and on his arm as her breathing went funny.  
Then she relaxed in the stiffest way possible.

"Okay."

[FINAL BREAK]

Thank you all for the great responses to my come back! I will definitely try my hardest to finish this thing! 3


	23. Christmas Shopping!

Abby was aghast.

The man who had murdered her son's birthparents was somehow alive, and had almost done the same to him.

Her first instinct was to break-down crying, her mind unable to stand the wave of sickening distress that lapped at her bones.  
She didn't actually do that, but she really, really wanted to.

Instead, she pulled herself together.  
It would do nothing but instil that fear into her child if he saw her undone in such a way. She swallowed her grief and held him close, squinting against the solumn ticking of the clock that was now intrusive in its purposeful sound.

That man - that dark wizard, he had been caught by the aurors according to the letter. Even if he wasn't free, he would probably be looking for revenge if the story was true; the one person he couldn't kill was nestled in her shoulder; so small and filled with good intentions.  
The monster would probably be after another war for the power he wanted the first time around. He would come after her son to prove himself mighty to the world once again. She didn't know much about the last wizarding war, but she was sure that this was a likely situation based on what she had been told.

She should remove him from Hogwarts immediately.

'Wait, no, Abby you're smarter than that,' she projected in her mind. 'You have to think this through. He'd have less protection in the muggle world than in the magical one. You can't just coop him up at home and expect him to thrive or be safe.'

She went through some precautions she could take in her mind. She needed to do some research on wizard prisons and how likely an escape attempt was. Even if Voldemort did escape, no one knew her son was Harry Potter except a select few. She would just have to do her best to keep this list down. While she debated these points in her head, the healer returned.

"Sorry for the long wait, I have to go through all of the clearances to get my hands on this since it's rather unsafe when touched. I'm going to need you both to sign to say you agree to these tests," he explained while placing a chunky, black briefcase with rusty hinges on his desk.

Abby narrowed her eyes, her thoughts interrupted, "and what tests would these be?"

"In this container is a figure laced with dark magic," he gestured to the case. "We keep it locked away, practically untouchable, until it is needed for tests like these.  
Once you have signed I will go to the other end of the room and open the case, then move closer until Mr Day experiences some symptoms. This way we can see if it is truly dark magic sensitivity, and how dangerous it is."

She looked to her son for his approval. He nodded and they both walked over to sign.  
Once Jude was at the other end of the room, Mr Ibex flicked the crusty latch and pulled back the top of the case.

Inside, Jude could see a golden lucky-cat statue, the kind that are in the window of a Chinese take-away.

"Have a headache yet?"

Jude replied that he felt perfectly fine, so Mr Ibex told him to voice when he felt it.  
Jude watched, his attention trained on his head, as the healer came closer and closer. He became very confused as the man bumped him with the case, but still felt right as rain.

"Hmmm," Mr Ibex frowned as he re-caged the cat carefully. "It appears to me that you are not sensitive to dark magic. I am at a loss as to what your headaches could be. Maybe the dark wizard just cast an irritation charm on you whenever he could?"

Jude sighed, he thought someone would have seen Quirrell wave his wand or heard him whisper something if that had been the case, he **had** been in front of a class of children staring at him for a full term. He was just about to express the thought, but mum beat him to it.

"Maybe, but Jude has met this dark wizard before, when he was a baby. Some dark spell was cast at him, is there anyway he could be reacting to specifically this wizard's magic? Like some kind of trauma reaction?"

Jude could only stand there in shock. His mum was crazy smart, he never would have thought of that!

"Heh, that's a nice conspiracy theory you have there, but there is no such thing as individual magic 'signatures,'" he said in a patronizing tone. "They disproved the existance of those quite a while ago so what you're suggesting is not possible." Then he huffed while examining some documents. "If it happens again, make an appointment, otherwise, I can't help you. Sorry." They were directed to the door.

Out in the corridor, they heard the man mutter, "muggles, think they know everything."

Jude patted his mum on the shoulder and told her it was a very good try.

Trying wasn't good enough for Abby.

She was determined not to be talked down to again.

[BREAK]

The healer visit was put behind Jude as his skipped into Diagon Alley for his friends' presents. Mum still seemed to be a little vexed about what Mr Ibex had said to her, but he was sure she would bounce back soon enough.

Usually he would just get all of his friends some sweets since his mother wasn't made of money. This year however, he had his vault, so he was going to splurge a little, even if mum didn't approve.

Dragging said mopy mother into Forish & Blotts, he set off for a gift for Ernie (because he was dedicated to his studies) and Hermione; she was by far the easiest to buy for due to her love of books. Or so he assumed, he had been wandering the shelves for over half an hour now and couldn't pick anything out for her. In the end he decided to buy her her own book on wizard etiquette/the wizarding world, since she liked to borrow his so often. It wasn't the same one he bought, it had more to do with the way the society was run, plus he bought her a book called 'The Ancient Science of Alchemy' since she had been interested in the Philosopher's stone. He ended up picking out two books for Ernie too; one on useful but little known spells and another on advanced potion making since he found that sort of thing interesting.

By the time he had arrived at the front desk, Mum was waiting by it with her nose buried into a hard-back titled 'Magic: For Squibs' while customers gave her the occasional snobby glance.

"What's a squib?" He asked as they left the shop. All three books (plus another one about wizard prisons his mum had picked out for some reason) were kept in a reusable shopping bag they had brought with them.

"According to the guy who helped me, it's a non-magic person born to magic parents."

"Huh..."

"Can I borrow your school books sometime?"

Jude grinned, "sure! You can try to learn about magic with me," he giggled as Abby ruffled his hair.

[BREAK]

Two hours later, Jude had almost finished his shopping visit.  
As well as Hermione's gift, he had also purchased:  
a rather expensive plant called a Dittany, for Neville. Its leaves could be eaten raw to cure shallow wounds, and it's used in lots of different potions. He picked it because of Nevilles love of plants, not because he was worried about Nevilles injuries, he told himself.

Some merchandise from the Weird Sisters for Hannah. She had told him before that they were her favourite band and he looked forward to listening to them... When he figured out where to do that. He probably should have asked.

He was going to buy Ron an electronic muggle chess set so he could play on his own and against the clock, he then realised it wouldn't work at Hogwarts and maybe not at his house. He still hadn't been to a wizarding household and didn't know how magical they were. So he bought a three-man chess set from muggle London figuring Ron had probably never played chess like that before.

Broom-care kits for Seamus and Zacharias since they really liked talking about all of the adventures they had on the back of broomsticks. Zacharias was definitely a pessimist, so anything he found enjoyable Jude pounced on as a conversation topic.

A wizarding paint-kit and an art pad for Dean, since he seemed to have enjoyed telling Jude about how he loved to be arty. Jude had no idea what made the paint-kit 'wizarding' but would find out once Dean had opened it.

A moving, sparkling, floating charm for Justin. It was a golden globe with lots of planets and stars rotating around it.  
Justin came from a posh muggle family so he probably couldn't buy him anything he didn't already have. Jude found the thing so cool though, he saw it in one of the outside stalls. It didn't do anything special, it was just fun to look at, and it was accurate to astrology.

Finally, he got Susan a charmed necklace from the same stall he got Justin's thing. It was a little orb on a silver chain containing a lascape scene that apparently changed with the weather. At the moment there was snow on the ground and a little snowman sitting happily in a top hat and scarf. He had picked it because he wasn't really sure what to get her. Girls like jewlery, right?

He had considered getting other people presents - like his favourite teachers - but decided that that would do since he was splurging.

They were begining to head to another clothes shop in carkitt market so mum could buy herself some witch robes to stop people from staring, when he saw a shop he hadn't seen before.

He stopped In his tracks, his eyes widening. His mum discovered she now had some dead weight, as her son was not moving yet still holding onto her sleeve.  
"Come on, Jude. I still need to get some stuff for my friends, we're running out of daylight." His only response was to lift a finger in a point, her eyes followed, then she sighed.

"Fine. You go inside and have a browse while I go and get some robes. Do not leave the shop without me, understand?" He nodded wistfully, attention still on the shop. "Good."

When she had dissapeared, Jude closed his eyes and acted out a rendition of being picked up off the ground and taken towards a desired source like a looney toons character. It didn't look like this of course but one could dream, passers by raised eyebrows and shook heads at the odd child. Jude then came to a hault at the front door and surveyed the scene.

It was an older looking building with a new, deep blue paint job. The door was sectioned off into many slabs of thick glass which refracted the light in all directions. Rocking lightly in the wind was a white sign with images of music notes and horns, beautifully accentuated; spiral-like letters read:

Concordia and Plunkett

Musical instruments

• Bagpipes

• Harps & Lutes

• Cellos

Jude pushed the door open; a bell tinkled above him.

It was rustic inside in a homely way. A large fireplace in the centre of the far wall was roaring happily. Instruments of all types were on display across the hard wood floor and hung up on forest green structures. A teenager sat at the counter reading a book with his head resting on his hand, his dark fringe in his eyes, he looked Jude with a bored expression as he came in, then continued reading.

"Good afternoon," Jude greeted with a little wave as he strolled up to inspect the wares. A distant "hello" was the only response he recieved.

A lute was the first thing he came across, patterns of flowers adorned its surface. Jude had never tried to play one of the squat instruments and wondered how similar it was to the guitar. If he could figure out how to play one he would be one step closer to being a real life Alas. It certainly looked similar, just with seven doubled up strings instead of six individual ones, a pear shaped body, and a folded neck.

He turned to the man at the counter and asked if he could try it. He nodded but told him firmly not to break anything.

Jude picked it up as carefully as he could. Surprise was the first thing that hit him, it was so light! Much lighter than a guitar.  
Turning it around in his arms he realised that the back wasn't straight, instead it was a curved half-ball shape made of individual strips of wood. Jude had never realised this and couldn't help but admire how it looked and the work that went into it.

He gave it a strum and the sound echoed through the shop: crisper, and brighter than his guitar, making him smile in wonder.  
He fell into his favourite strumming pattern, trying to get used to the feeling: down, down, up, up, down, up. It was a well practised motion that came easily to him, but he was having trouble holding the bulbous body while he did it.

"You play!?" Came the amazed voice of the teen at the desk. Jude turned around. He was now sitting up attentively in his chair, beaming all the while. Jude couldn't help but smile back.

"Guitar, I've never tried the lute before."

"Hold on," the boy rose from the desk and clambered around some unseen objects, tripping a few times, before hurrying across the shop, then dragging a wood chair to Jude's side. "You're supposed to play it like this," Jude sat down and the man adjusted the lute in his arms so that it was balanced on his knee with his thumb behind the neck where it meets the body. "Then you pluck, very few people strum them anymore."

Jude plucked at the strings a few times, just going back and forth.

"Just like that! You can learn how to play one, no problem."

"You think so?"

"I know so! Look at you go!"

Jude chuckled at his eagerness and got a good look at him. He was tall with a skinny build and shoulder length hair. His robe hung off of him rather dramatically and his nose seemed too large for his face, he couldn't help but be reminded of a younger, friendlier, Professor Snape.

"Thank you very much for the lesson. I'm Jude, by the way," he held out a hand.

The man took it and smirked, "Puck.  
You want a demonstration?"

"Yes, please!"

[FINAL BREAK]

Thanks for reading! 


	24. Scarborough Fair and Pied Pipers

Puck appeared tranquil and secluded despite sitting in a public shop with Jude watching. His eyelids rested closed as he took in a breath, then his finger began to dance across the strings.  
They were gentle movements at quick speeds, clearly known off-by-heart. Jude was instantly transported to a time far back, as the melody reminded him of something medieval. He couldn't help but sway a little with the thrums. A real life Alas was performing something wonderful for him, something familiar.

After fixiating on every note that passed, he finally breathed; "Scarborough fair."

Puck didn't waver in his performance, "you know it?"

"Yes. It's a muggle song."

"Not quite," he slowed the tempo down, " Scarborough Fair has been around for a long time. Bards of wizard and muggle would sing it as they travelled from town to town. The first line is about the actual Scarborough Fair that attracted lots of sellers and buyers, muggle and magic alike."

"Wow..." He closed his eyes, feeling the sound in his bones."Can you sing?"

Puck laughed breathily, as if trying not to disturb the spell, "I was getting to that, don't worry. I would never miss a chance to show off."

Jude listened intently as the introduction looped around again and the same deep note was repeated in rhythm. Then:

 _"Are you going to Scarborough Fair?_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme..._

 _Remember me to one who lives there_

 _She once was a true love of mine..."_

He had a fruity voice; it began to spin beautifully with the longer notes. Soft but powerful.

 _"Tell her to make me a cambric shirt_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme..._

 _Without any seam nor needlework_

 _And then she'll be a true love of mine..."_

The small skillful sections in between singing made it all the more mesmerising. Puck's fingers shot diligently, making sounds that reminded Jude of Spanish guitar, while still maintaining an Olde English vibe.

 _"Tell her to wash it in yonder dry well_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme..._

 _Which never sprung water nor rain ever fell_

 _And then she'll be a true love of mine..."_

Blearily, Jude noticed that the air felt saturated, but somehow more light than usual. It was a miniscule change that he had noticed when he entered Hogwarts for the first time, and he would have missed it had his eyes not been closed and senses directed outwards. After finding out that Hogwarts was blocking his electric devices, he assumed this phenomenon to be magic in the air.

 _"Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn._

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme._

 _Which never bore blossom since Adam was born_

 _And then she'll be a true love of mine..."_

Jude smiled at the thought, the song was definitely magical enough on its own.  
He wondered if Puck would mind if he joined in? The verses were different from the Simon & Garfunkel version he was used to, but he would be fine if he followed Puck's lead, he just didn't want to throw the man off.  
Jude began to sing, very hesitantly mind you, he watched Puck's lips make the syllables and guessed the words as best he could, occasionally falling into a hum when he moved too fast.

 _"Ask her to do me this courtesy._

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme_

 _And ask for a like favour from me_

 _And then she'll be a true love of mine..."_

Jude's smile became wider as he managed to hit all the harmonies; the sound was georgous, it was thrilling that two people could make such art. He felt the saturation more strongly for a second, before the song was finished by Puck with a strum.

Jude applauded and Puck gave a mock bow. "Heh, thanks. You're not too bad yourself."

"That was magical. Literally. The air felt full like it does at Hogwarts."

Puck's relaxed facial features quickly stretched into one of slack-jawed, shock. "Really!?" Jude confirmed and he wooped, jumping up from his chair. "How powerful was it? Did anything else happen?"

"Just below the feeling of a normal Hogwarts room; and no. Why? Was something else supposed to happen?"

Puck appeared to want to do a million things at once but forced himself to try to calm down. It wasn't working. "Not really, but it would have been amazing if something did. You like music, right?"

"Like is an understatement."

"What about magic?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course! Magic is awesome!"

Puck was practically vibrating, "You're the first person I've met in a long time who I think would genuinely appreciate my work. Hardly anyone plays instruments anymore, why would they when they can just cast a spell to do it for them? Do you want to hear about it?"

That was also a stupid question, "Yes!"

"Well! First of all, music has a magic of its own!"

"Agreed!"

"No. Like, literally! Do you know the story of the Pied piper?"

"The guy who kidnapped village children using a flute- or was it a piccolo?"

"It was just a pipe, and yes that is the right story. It's not just a story though, it actually happened."

"Huh?"

"Yeah! He could do magic with his instrument of choice, but because of what he did, that kind of magic became associated with dark magic and all practises were lost to history. I wrote a paper on this! It's in 'Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charms' by Limus, but no one really reads my part since people think that kind of thing isn't possible. Even though I have proof."

"Nice shameless plug, I'll be sure to pick it up," Jude teased.

Puck chuckled, "thanks, but only if you want to. The point is, I went to Hamelin in Germany where the story happened and tracked down his old notes from there. So now I know how to cast magic with music, in theory, I just can't get it to work."

Jude's breath hitched, "let me help! Please! Teach me oh wise one!" Real life Alas was just around the corner.

Puck's laughter started up all over again at Jude's antics, "of course! It'll be nice to have someone to talk to about this. Follow me."

Jude was lead into the back of the shop and up some stairs, then into a door off of the hallway. They appeared to be in Puck's room. A single bed was crammed into a corner below an open window with some draws off to the side and a desk near the door. The walls were covered in posters from bands he hadn't heard of. Puck gestured to the desk chair as he pulled a case from beneath his bed.

"Da-dah!" He held up a basic lute made of a pale wood with pure white strings. "I had Olivander and my father help me make this. The Pied piper's pipe was crafted like a wand, made of a magical material and a core stored somewhere. This is made of wand-grade dogwood, and wound unicorn hairs make up the strings. 'Most expensive project I've ever taken on, my father still won't let me live it down since I can't get it to work in the way it's supposed to," he grimaced.

Meanwhile, Jude was enraptured. While at first the instrument looked like every other lute, beautiful but common, the explanation made it seem like the most increadible object he had ever layed eyes on.

He knew what he was going to get himself for Christmas.

Puck was still talking, he tried to pay attention to not appear rude, "maybe since I've managed to get something to happen with a normal lute it will work now."

"Maybe!" Jude chirped.

"Hehe, yeah, but I'll explain how it works to you first."

"Should I be taking notes?" Jude half joked.

Puck giggled, "It's pretty easy to remember, I'm sure you'll be fine.  
Do you know about accidental magic?"

"Yeah, when you do magic accidentally. It happens the most when your a kid, before Hogwarts."

"Good. It's caused by strong emotions, when you're angry or scared mostly, but according to the piper's notes, it's possible for all emotions to cause accidental magic if they're strong enough. This is how magic with music works," Jude cocked his head. "It's a little weird isn't it? It's not at all what I expected either. There are no set melodies, lyrics or motions for certain spells, it works entirely on making yourself feel an emotion, and then using the instrument and your own intent to channel it into a physical thing. That's how the piper managed to create such a strong mind-control bewitchment, it was born of volatile, powerful, accidental magic; which is always stronger than any magic you can call upon normally."

"Woah."

"Yeah," Puck smirked, seemingly lost to his own imagination.

"Well don't just stand there! Give it a try!" Jude insisted, gesturing dramatically.

"Oh. yeah, right. I'll carry on where I left off from downstairs." He perched on his bed and started up in the same way as last time.

 _"Have you been to Scarborough Fair?_

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme..._

 _Remember me from the one who lives there_

 _For he once was a true love of mine..."_

This lute was in a whole different ball game entirely; the sound that resonated was light and pure, spilling magic into the air with every disturbance, Jude was overwhelmed.

 _"Ask him to find me an acre of land._

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme..._

 _Between the salt water and the sea-sand_

 _For then he'll be a true love of mine..."_

Puck was not in the relaxed state he was the first time around; he eyes screwed shut instead of resting, the plucks heavier in force and his voice straining for perfection.

 _"Ask him to plough it with a lamb's horn._

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme..._

 _And sow it all over with one peppercorn_

 _For then he'll be a true love of mine..."_

It was still a beautiful performance, but Jude didn't feel the same saturation that came so naturally last time. He hoped that his presence wasn't the cause.

"Relax, you don't need to stress yourself out."

 _"Ask him to reap it with a sickle of leather._

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme..._

 _And gather it up with rope made of heather_

 _For then he'll be a true love of mine..."_

Puck listened and Jude noticed a difference, some of the tension left his figure but it still wasn't the same. He decided to join in like last time, maybe sharing the spotlight would help him let go.

"When he has done and finished his work.

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme..._

 _Ask him to come for his cambric shirt_

 _For then he'll be a true love of mine..."_

The melodies dipped and spinned around each other in sweet harmony. Jude couldn't help but want other people to hear it- anyone to hear it; surely everyone could appreciate this. He felt the increasing saturation change into the texture of a flow as he somehow knew that Puck wanted the same thing.

 _"If you say that you can't, then I shall reply._

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme..._

 _Oh, let me know that at least you will try_

 _Or you'll never be a true love of mine..._

 _Love imposes impossible tasks._

 _Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme..._

 _But none more than any heart would ask_

 _I must know you're a true love of mine_..."

Despite their failure, Puck smiled brightly at him.

Then they heard applause from downstairs.

[BREAK]

The shop space was cramped as most of the street had come in to hear them play. Puck's eyes sparkled as he told Jude that the walls were much too thick for anyone to have heard them outside.

They thanked their audience for listening and some actually stayed, browsing Puck's wares. Puck joked about the bonus of free advertising.

Abby had been amongst the crowd and Jude introduced her, she seemed suspicious and asked a few polite questions about him. Unfortunately she was busy so they could not stay.

"You'll come visit again soon?" Asked Puck.

"Definitely!"

"Just floo in any time," he grinned, gesturing at the fireplace.

When they told him that they didn't have a floo, he suggested getting their fireplace hooked up to the network permanently. Abby seemed to run with the idea, and said she would send a letter to the ministry when they got home.

Once they left the shop, Abby chewed him out about stranger danger. Nineteen-years old is really pushing the age categorie for a new friend, come on Jude.

[FINAL BREAK]

mackiechandler: those are some fantastic ideas! I'll try to use them but no promises. I will, however, be willing to read anything someone else does with them :P.

mizzrazz72: I agree.

Northmanlv: Thank you for the song suggestion! I had actually never heard it before you told me about it and it was perfect for this scene, so thank you so much! It's probably not what you were expecting but i tried :D

Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! Song and story suggestions will all be considered.

See you next chapter!


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